ingenhoven associates GmbH

The elliptical stadium is conceived as a hovering bowl whose concave profile rises gently at both ends, creating a light, wing-like silhouette above an open public concourse. An outward-leaning planted façade forms a green perimeter ring, while the radial cable roof directs crowd noise toward the pitch and reinforces the bowl’s compact atmosphere. In the survey area, a family of elliptical sports pavilions is distributed within an extension of Maksimir Park, linked by a landscaped north–south causeway, plazas, water systems and the approach from Borongaj. For the second round, the jury established additional evaluation criteria. These included the urban concept, the quality and feasibility of the proposal, the integration of buildings and public spaces, and the organisational and formal qualities of the individual buildings, with particular emphasis on the stadium proposal. Generic or overly expressive structures that strongly defined the stadium’s identity but presented significant challenges in terms of construction or cost were considered less appropriate to the programme and context. The same applied to high-maintenance materials and an excessive reliance on vegetation within the stadium. The possibility of phased construction was also an important criterion for elimination, while the jury continued to recognise the architectural quality of the programme’s articulation.