Santiago Bernabéu: Renovation ensures excitement and high costs!

Santiago Bernabéu: Renovation ensures excitement and high costs!

Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spanien - The legendary Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is in the spotlight! The renovation work, which turned out to be twice as expensive as originally planned, ensure excitement and discussions. Markus Pfisterer, partner of the architecture firm GMP, which is responsible for the redesign, gave exciting insights into the challenges and visions behind this ambitious project in an exclusive interview.

"We promised to deliver what we showed in our model," explains Pfisterer. But the competition doesn't sleep! "Over time, other projects have copied us, which increased the pressure on us," he adds. The renovation of the Bernabéu is not only a structural challenge, but also an emotional. "As an architect, you are afraid of not fulfilling the high expectations. Florentino could call us and say: 'This is far from what you promised!'"

unique design and materials

The vision for the stadium was clear: it should be recognizable by all perspectives. "No matter whether you see it from the air or from the ground, everyone should know that it is Bernabéu. The simplicity and uniqueness of the facade were crucial," emphasizes Pfisterer. The decision to renovate the old stadium instead of building a new one is viewed as a clever choice to preserve the inheritance and the spirit of Real Madrid.

Another highlight is the use of special steel for the outer facade. "We needed a shiny material that is weatherproof and durable," explains Pfisterer. The discussion about the distances between the steel plates was long, but ultimately a balance between the requirements of the customer and the needs of an open stadium was found. Despite some disappointments about the roof design, which is heavier than originally planned, Pfisterer remains optimistic: "I think Florentino is satisfied with the result. If not, we would not be in the project after 10 years!"