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Architecture studio Oualalou + Choi, based in Morocco, and Populous, a global firm specializing in sports facilities, have won the bid to design the 115,000-seat Grand Stade de Casablanca stadium in Morocco, they announced on Wednesday. The stadium is intended to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Oualalou + Choi and Populous were selected by Morocco's National Agency for Public Facilities (ANEP) following an international design competition that saw bids from prestigious firms like Herzog & De Meuron, Zaha Hadid Architects, and Foster + Partners.
«We are very proud to have been selected for this prestigious project, with our partners Oualalou + Choi», said Christopher Lee, Managing Director for Populous' EMEA region. «The Grand Stade de Casablanca is an iconic, landmark venue for the citizens of Casablanca and Morocco that will become one of the great stadia of the world».
A grandiose facility with a tented roof
The design by Oualalou + Choi and Populous draws inspiration from the traditional Moroccan gathering known as a «moussem», or the festival. This influence is reflected in the stadium's structure, which will feature a dramatic, tented roof.
«The Grand Stade de Casablanca is deeply rooted in Moroccan culture, with its traditions and contemporary expressions», explained Tarik Oualalou, Design Principal and founding partner at Oualalou + Choi, as well as the project's Lead Architect. «It is rooted in ancient and primordial figures: the Moussem, the tent, and the garden, as well as the topography and landscapes of Morocco. It’s a generous space, open to the world and respectful to the Nature it protects. The Grand Stade de Casablanca is the embodiment of the great tradition of Moroccan hospitality», Oualalou added.
Preparations for groundwork are already underway on a 100-hectare site in the town of El Mansouria, located 38 kilometers north of Casablanca within the Benslimane province. Public funding for the project was secured in October 2023.
«The stadium will be compliant with FIFA standards, allowing it to host the major games in the world’s most prestigious international competitions, including the World Cup 2030», said François Clément, Senior Principal, President of Populous France, and Lead Architect for the project.
«The pace of construction works expected in Benslimane demonstrates the commitment of all parties involved to deliver this incredible project on time and within budget. It will be an immense asset to the country, elevating Morocco to the highest global platform of sporting infrastructure development», he stressed.
The design team is complemented by engineering firms Maffeis Engineering, ME Engineering, Rider Levett Bucknall, Momentum, and SEPSI.
Founded by Linna Choi and Tarik Oualalou in 2001, the Oualalou + Choi studio portfolio include the Volubilis Museum, the COP22 Village, the Morocco Pavilion for EXPO Milan, the FLIJ tent constructed on the plaza of the Arab World Institute in Paris in 2014, and the «Décrypter le Panthéon» installation commissioned as part of France's 2017 July 14th festivities.
The Moroccan studio is partnering with Populous, a firm that has designed many world-renowned stadiums, including Wembley Stadium, Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
For the record, Morocco is co-hosting the 2030 World Cup jointly with Portugal and Spain. Both Rabat and Madrid are competing to host the 2030 World Cup final, especially after Portugal had announced that it does not have a stadium that meets FIFA requirements for the game.
