Creating a new experience: Feyenoord City

Feyenoord Rotterdam has plans to develop a new stadium as their current stadium ‘De Kuip’ isn’t meeting the demands of modern football anymore. With the masterplan, Feyenoord City, the club will create a broad urban development including a new river-based stadium and a redevelopment of the current stadium. Stadium Director of Feijenoord Stadium, Jan Van Merwijk, joined us during ESSMA’s Development & Operations Workshop to share more details on the club’s Masterplan.

© Feyenoord Rotterdam 

Challenges

Throughout the years, the stadium and its facilities have deteriorated to the point where they no longer match the criteria of a modern stadium. In addition, the venue isn’t easily accessible and is not cost effective anymore.

“One of the main problems at De Kuip is mobility. The new stadium design will offer a solution in the form of more and better access routes with various modes of transportation (even by boat) to reach the stadium.”

Facilities 

The new eight-level stadium will include 64 boxes located on the long sides of the pitch. The sections behind the goals will consist of three concourses for GA, a restaurant, underground parking and rentable (multifunctional) areas. The new stadium will have a total capacity for 63,000 fans. 

In terms of business hospitality, the club will create various multifunctional lounges, which will offer networking opportunities on matchdays, but which can also be rented out for conferences and events on non-matchdays.

Design

The stadium design will be adapted to allow Feyenoord to host large events including the Dutch National team and events. It features a retractable roof, which allows events to continue in all weather circumstances. The roof will be specifically reinforced to add unique lighting systems and other  installations necessary to host events. The club was not able to integrate a retractable pitch due to the proximity of the river and railways, but instead opted to integrate a retractable stand. Moving the stand will create additional space with concrete flooring which can be used to build a stage or for other installations. 

Part of Jan van Merwijk's presentation.

The Strip 

The new and old stadium will be connected via a new road, The Strip. The Strip will be developed to include community facilities including shops, restaurants, a hotel, apartments or community areas, parking spaces, etc. which will help regenerate this area of Rotterdam. It will act as a symbolic link between the clubs past and its future, as well as being the main entrance to the stadium for fans on matchdays as it is estimated that over 60% of fans will enter the stadium via The Strip. 

The new stadium design also features a public square, which will act as a fan zone on matchdays as well as a community area for local inhabitants on non-matchdays. 

The club aims to start construction by 2021 and finish in 2024, with a total estimated cost of around €500 million. 

Go to our ESSMA Flickr account for more pictures.

 Learn more about the Feyenoord City project

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