French Top 14 rugby union club Sporting Union Agen Lot-et-Garonne has unveiled major redevelopment plans for its Stade Alfred Armandie, which is set to mark its centenary next year.
Agen has chosen a design by local architect François de la Serre Group, which has teamed up with Japanese firm Azusa Sekkei for the project. The renovation and expansion is designed to make the Armandie much better equipped as a rugby venue, with seating capacity to rise from 9,882 to 10,442, bringing the total capacity up from 13,863 to 14,400.
The project is expected to cost around €26.4m (£23.7m/$29.9m) but is projected to allow the new-look stadium to generate additional revenue of between €2m and €3m per year.
The Mayor of Agen, Jean Dionis, said, according to newspaper La Dépêche: “Why did we do it? For these young rugby enthusiasts, who play touchdown in the playground. Who do we owe it to? These 130,000 supporters who deserve a stadium they are proud of.”
Commenting on the vision behind the design, de la Serre added: “We designed a project from Agen. A stadium that could not have been built anywhere other than Agen. We wanted cultural, sporting, local, visual and gastronomic resonance.”
Images: Agen Rugby
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