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El Bosque - Soccer Stadium and Multi-Sport Facility


La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina  /  540,000 sq.ft.   /  Soccer Stadium & Athletic Facilities /  2024 / Competition


El Bosque is a place where the forest and the city merge. We chose to combine the social aspects of the city’s grid with the organic forms of nature to create an environment that is made to support the movement of the human body and encourage social interactions. The playful forms of the buildings are inspired by nature while their organization is a response to the surrounding urban plan. The result is an environmentally conscious campus, designed for sports and integrated into the culture and history of La Plata. We view the experience as a walk through the forest!


Growing up from the site’s grid are large columns that represent the trees of the surrounding parks. The columns support a thin canopy of green roofs that mimic the curvature of a leaf as it falls gently to the ground. Much like a leaf, the roofs absorb solar energy through photovoltaic panels to provide energy to the buildings below. The thin overhangs act as a canopy to shade the transparent enclosures below from the harsh summer sun, while allowing sun to enter during the colder, winter months. The columns capture rainwater at the top and channel it down to storage tanks below the ground to be used for irrigation and cooling fountains. The lush landscaping throughout the park combats the heat island effect and absorbs sound pollution from the vehicles on Av. 60. Our proposal is an extension of the surrounding parks, paying tribute and honoring the legacy of El Bosque for future generations We see the design of the stadium as an opportunity to propel the team and the surrounding community into the next chapter. Our goal is to strengthen the identity of the stadium while providing several practical features to improve the experience of the players, the fans, and the everyday users of the facilities. Beginning with the exterior, we are proposing a wrapper made of metal mesh laid over an organic structure meant to reflect the branches of a tree. The porosity of the mesh provides shading for the fans while still allowing natural light to enter the stadium. The colored gradient represents a new beginning with bold colors of the club facing the sports park. The color gradually dissolves as it approaches the existing historical structures as a sign of respect to its history. On the interior, the amenities are neatly organized to maximize efficiency and accessibility during games and while the facilities are being used for other purposes. The expectations of users are evolving quickly, and we believe our proposal responds to those needs with amenities like restaurants, various levels of seating, VIP suites, co working spaces, additional security features and improved team areas. There is also an opportunity to connect the stadium with the rest of the sports park to create a cohesive campus so that the site can be used to its full potential. Health can be described in many ways - not only will the users of the park benefit physically from its features, but they will also profit from the social experiences throughout the stadium and the park.


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