The 2023 International Architecture Awards (IAA) winners have been announced by The Museum of Architecture and Design, Chicago Athenaeum, and the European Center for Architecture, Art, Design, and Urban Studies. A remarkable standout among these accolades is the design collaboration involving IDOM, Nikken Sekkei, and b720, which focuses on transforming the renowned Camp Nou Stadium.
The Next-Gen Camp Nou Stadium
The proposed rejuvenation of the Camp Nou Stadium adeptly balances the preservation of its foundational essence, laid by a Project by Mitjans, Soteras, and García-Barbón in 1957, with modern concepts like openness, transparency, and urban integration as envisioned in the 2016 proposal by Nikken Sekkei and Pascual-Ausió Arquitectes.
This architectural overhaul is poised to elevate Camp Nou into the largest stadium in Europe, boasting a seating capacity accommodating 105,000 spectators. The plan meticulously retains the structural integrity of the original 1957 stands while ingeniously introducing a new stand, doubling the levels of hospitality zones, and enveloping the entire stadium capacity under a sprawling roof.
Celebrating its twentieth year, the IAA Awards hold a venerable status as one of the most established international commendations, venerating excellence in global architectural ventures. Garnering over 750 submissions in the 2023 edition, the awards will culminate in a grand ceremony on September 15th at Greece’s Acropolis. Coinciding with this, the exhibition “The City and the World” will be inaugurated at the Contemporary Space Athens, showcasing the winning projects to the public until October 1st.