Zaha Hadid Architects Opens 60,000-Seat Saddle-Shaped Football Stadium in Xi'an

Zaha Hadid Architects has completed the Xi'an International Football Centre, a 60,000-seat stadium in central China's Fengdong New City area. Commissioned by the Chinese Football Association, the venue opened last month with three under-23 matches. Its sinuous, saddle-shaped form responds to Xi'an's windy winters and hot summers, with sweeping geometries designed to minimize northern winds. The structure rises at midfield to maximize seating with optimal views. A wide, sheltered concourse wraps the upper level, stepping down at the southern end to create a covered plaza. Red concrete columns support an ultra-lightweight cable-net roof that reduces embodied carbon. A translucent membrane over the seating bowl protects spectators while allowing natural light for pitch grass growth. The studio, founded by Zaha Hadid and now led by Patrik Schumacher, is also designing 60,000-seat stadiums in Guangzhou and Hangzhou. Initial plans showed terraces with planting, though this has not yet been installed. Photography is by Hufton + Crow.