L35 Arquitectos has won the design competition for the major redevelopment of Estadio Gran Canaria, home of LaLiga club UD Las Palmas, with officials stating the new-look venue will be amongst the finest in Spain and rank in the top 30 in the world.
L35’s ‘La Nube’, or ‘The Cloud’, project was selected by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria from nine finalists. Two second prizes were awarded – one to ‘Arriba d’ellos’ by Estudio Lamela, and another to ‘El Pulso dela Isla, un latido mundial’ by Ayesa Ingeniería y Arquitectura.
The project was first proposed in October 2023, with the Cabildo electing to proceed with the venture in June last year. President of the Cabildo, Antonio Morales, said: “We are looking at an elegant, modern piece, emblematic in its architectural, sporting, cultural and environmental proposal, and also sensitive to the city, the island and the space where it is located. This will be our new Estadio Gran Canaria, our 21st century Coliseum.
“Gran Canaria will have a stadium ready to meet new challenges that symbolise the new era that we want to achieve for sport, for culture, for the festivals and celebrations that are taking place with increasing impact on our island and that need a benchmark, modern venue, with all the technological and environmental advances of the great international stadia.
“The new stadium, which is being designed, financed and promoted by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, will heal the wound of the (Estadio) Insular. A wound that saw us move from a stadium that was a hotbed to one that cooled down the fans. It therefore meets the demand of the citizens who asked for a stadium that would once again have warmth and proximity.
“We are taking advantage of the opportunity of an unfinished space to turn it into one of the great football venues in the world.”
The Insular was Las Palmas’ home before it moved to the new Estadio Gran Canaria when it opened in 2003. L35 has worked on the transformation of Real Madrid’s Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. The Estadio Gran Canaria project aims to significantly increase the options and possibilities of public access based on the creation of large open spaces, at its northeastern and southwestern ends.
The current capacity of 32,426 will be increased to a net capacity of over 40,000, with a maximum of 44,484 for La Liga matches. This will be achieved by extending and bringing the stands closer to the pitch. Currently a fully open stadium, the redevelopment will also see a full roof structure introduced.
The North Stand will be adapted to enable alternative events, such as concerts, through the use of retractable seating. Service and food and beverage areas will be significantly extended and improved, along with the stadium’s hospitality offerings.
ETFE will be a key material in the redevelopment, while L35’s proposal was also judged to be the best in terms of provisions related to sustainability. The estimated cost of the project has been set at €101.2m (£84.4m/$104.5m), which the Cabildo is covering.
It is hoped that the new-look Estadio Gran Canaria will be completed significantly in advance of a June 2029 deadline set by FIFA for the 2030 World Cup. The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) in July named Estadio Gran Canaria among its 11 proposed stadiums for its co-hosting of the tournament.
Commenting on the news, Las Palmas president, Miguel Ángel Ramírez, said: “The Cabildo de Gran Canaria has put in all its effort and I think that we are all going to enjoy this stadium very much when it becomes a reality.
“In a year the works will begin and in three or four years we will be enjoying a first-class facility. We must provide all the assistance so that as soon as possible we and future generations can enjoy a stadium that will be one of the best in Spanish football and will be in the top 20 or top 30 worldwide.”
