Architecture firm upcycles aeroplanes in new football stadium

An architecture firm has designed a new stadium with a number of sustainable innovations, including the use of old aircraft parts

Spotted: Architecture firm Populous, which specialises in stadium construction, has been appointed as lead architect for the renovation of Strasbourg’s Stade de la Meinau football stadium. The €100 million project will involve a number of environmentally sustainable design features, including the use of upcycled sections of fuselages from decommissioned Airbus A340 aircraft. The aircraft parts will be used as sunshades at the revamped grounds.

While incorporating aircraft parts in a stadium renovation is novel, the project actually includes a number of innovative features for improving sustainability. Photovoltaic panels and long-lasting LED lights will be installed, along with a biomass-powered heating system. The stadium will also feature rainwater recycling and passive ice water production facilities, for energy-efficient cooling of drinks. 

The construction process itself has also been designed to reduce the projects’ overall carbon footprint. The amount of demolition works has been kept to a minimum in order to reduce waste, and materials from the original building that are removed during demolition will be reused in the construction process for the renovations.

According to Populous senior principal architect Francois Clement, “The renovation of La Meinau will bring Racing Club de Strasbourg’s supporters closer to the pitch in an environmentally controlled development. Sustainability has been key to our design strategy and includes an innovative upcycling approach to reuse Airbus A340 fuselages for the main façade sunshade.”

Increasingly, architects are placing themselves at the forefront of the drive to improve the sustainability of our buildings — and cities. At Springwise, we have seen this is a host of designs and projects, both large and small. Recent innovations in sustainable architecture include a sustainable garden footbridge in Paris and an ice skating centre that will benefit local wetlands.

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