CONCEPTLICHT

The jury of “Licht und Architektur Preis 2005” praised the synthesis of architecture and light, making the stadium and its new roofing appear as a coherent whole.
In the end, the jury assessed: “The new stadium roof not only provides protection from the elements but as light architecture that is immediately recognizable (a crucial aspect for media communication) it also forms a contrast with the existing building. The illumination of the pitch is provided by strips incorporated into the roof’s inner edge, which avoids the distraction that lighting equipment such as floodlight masts would create. The illuminated roof and stadium appear to form a harmonious whole.

The roof, which inside the stadium rests on 20 extremely narrow steel supports, appears light and almost hovers during the day, a sensation that is all the more pronounced at night. This building is not only a piece of architecture with which Berlin can identify, it is also a great boon for soccer, which has gained one of the best sporting venues in Germany.”