Drawing Board: Stade de Sclessin

STADE DE SCLESSIN

Liege, Belgium

For the first time since Euro 2000, Stade de Sclessin in Liege

will see a major change. If the club gets its way, the famous three-tiered stands will finally be enclosed giving fans a new standard of services. Recently, representatives of Standard de Liège visited the city hall to file their planning application and finalise their renovations. They’d been working on it for over two years with Assar Architects, ever since they revealed the initial concept which planned to bring the stadium to life. Should proceedings go as planned, construction work will begin next year. Compared to early renders, reconstruction of Stade de Sclessin will be somewhat reduced in its final form. From the envisaged capacity of 40,000 seats, the goal was scaled down to 35,000, as were ancillary facilities around the stadium. Net increase of some 4,000 seats would be owed to the new main stand in the east. The stadium is located in an industrial area that has marked the economy and history of the region. The purpose of the reworking of the stadium is to increase its capacity to offer some 35,000 seats in the UEFA version. The creation of an esplanade will accommodate spectators before and after the game. The esplanade will offer access to the stadium seating on the entire periphery and will also - apart from the national matches

- go around the infrastructure and reach the entrance to the stands. Six reception levels are planned inside the stadium; they are all accessible from the esplanade. From the one-star welcome to the sixstar welcome, starting with the Tribunes, the PC1, the PC2, the Business Seats, the Lodges and the VIP reception. The reorganisation of the Stade du Standard de Liège is an opportunity to create a dynamic multi-purpose ensemble. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Liège Verviers Namur asked the Standard to build 6,000 sq metres of net rental office areas to replace and supplement the areas currently occupied along the platform three. This building called ‘administrative’ will offer additional hotel and cartering spaces, commercial opportunities, a fan shop, a creche, a playground, a ‘laser game’ area, a wellness and health area and the creation of a museum will recall the rich history of the Standard and the place. A conference room that can be used as a press centre will be a useful addition to the mixed complex.