Braga Stadium
Eduardo Souto de Moura

June 07, 2002 /

Braga, Portugal

Photo © Carlos Coutinho

For Portugal winning the competition to host the UEFA 2004 international European soccer meant the construction or remodeling of ten stadiums in different parts of the country. For the Braga Municipal Stadium the brief called for covered seating sections for 30,000 on either side of the football field.

The Braga Municipal Stadium is situated within the Dume Sports Park on the northern slope of Monte Castro. The location of the Stadium, in the sports zone specified in the Municipal Master Plan, will serve as an anchor point for any future development in the area as the city expands northwards. The location was chosen in order to avoid building a dam along the water's edge in the valley.

Photo © Carlos Coutinho

The stadium is carved into the face of the adjacent Monte Castro quarry which overlooks the city of Braga. The design for the 40 meter tall Stadium consists of two squares with the same degree of sloping. The sloping roof, originally planned to look like a continuous visor, is modeled on the suspension bridges, marvels of engineering, the Peruvian Incas built to span the deep river gorges that separated the cities. Each stand is covered by a canopy-style roof.

Photo © Carlos Coutinho

The home for the Sporting Clube de Braga this stadium carves into the face of the adjacent Monte Castro quarry which overlooks the city of Braga. Each stand is covered by a canopy-style roof. The Braga Municipal Stadium received the Chicago Athenaeum International Architecture Award for best new global design in 2006.

Sketch courtesy Eduardo Souto de Moura
Sketch

Sketch courtesy Eduardo Souto de Moura
Sketch

Model photo courtesy Eduardo Souto de Moura
Model

Model photo courtesy Eduardo Souto de Moura
Model

Drawing courtesy Eduardo Souto de Moura
Site Plan

Drawing courtesy Eduardo Souto de Moura
Cross Section

Drawing courtesy Eduardo Souto de Moura
Longitudinal Section