Kunshan Olympic Sports Center / Gmp Architects

Architects: gmp Architects
Area: 130000 m²
Year: 2025
Photographs: CreatAR Images
Structural Engineering: schlaich bergermann partner (sbp)
Landscape Architecture: WES LandschaftsArchitektur
Services Engineering (HVAC): HVACR WSP
Transport Consultants: CCDI
Category: Football Stadium
Design: Meinhard von Gerkan and Nikolaus Goetze with Magdalene Weiss
Project Lead, Detailed Design: Yan Lyuji, Zhao Mengtong
Detailed Design Team: Chen Guanxing, Lu Shen, Xu Xufeng, Dong Suhong, Fan Jie, Li Jiangtao
Project Management: Cai Lei
Partner Practice: Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd., Tongji Architectural Design (group) Co., Ltd.
Commissioned: 2019
Clients: Kunshan Zhuoyue Sports Culture Development Co., Ltd.
No of Seats: 45,000
Facade Consultants: SuP Ingenieure
Sports Consultant: cistsports
City: Kunshan
Country: China

Kunshan Olympic Sports Center football stadium designed by gmp Architects in Kunshan, China has introduced a large-scale, FIFA Category 1 venue that integrates professional football infrastructure with recreational public space. Inaugurated in February 2024 with the Chinese FA Super Cup, the 45,000-seat stadium combines sculptural concrete framing and steel trusses with translucent membrane panels that form both the facade and roof. Each membrane spans roughly 600 square meters, making this the largest single-layer membrane structure in China. A surrounding podium connects to 48 access bridges, facilitating efficient crowd flow. Developed with structural input from sbp and landscape collaboration from WES Landschafts Architektur, the stadium is embedded in a public park network that connects to paths, water features, shops, and sports facilities, creating a multifunctional destination for both major events and everyday recreation.

Kunshan olympic sports center / gmp architects

The new football stadium in Kunshan was officially inaugurated on February 7 with the opening match of the Chinese FA Super Cup. Over 30,000 fans attended the local derby between Shanghai Shenhua and Shanghai Port. In the final three minutes of the game, Shanghai Shenhua scored two goals, securing a victory and successfully defending their Super Cup title, bringing the first major soccer event in the new venue to a dramatic conclusion. The stadium, known as Kunshan Olympic Sports Center, was designed by von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) in collaboration with the Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tongji University. With a seating capacity of 45,000, the stadium meets FIFA Category 1 standards, qualifying it as a large-scale professional football venue suitable for major international competitions.

The oval form of the stadium is defined by 36 robust double frames constructed from in-situ concrete and spanned by intricate lattice steel trusses. This sculptural and refined structural system was developed in collaboration with Schlaich Bergermann Partner (sbp). Translucent membranes are tensioned between the double frames, allowing natural light to penetrate the interior while also functioning as both the facade and the roof covering. Each membrane element covers an area of approximately 600 square meters, making it the largest single-layer membrane structure in China. An external circulation system ensures fast and efficient access to the venue. Wide staircases guide spectators to a surrounding podium, from which 48 bridges connect to the upper and lower seating tiers. The effectiveness of this crowd management system was clearly demonstrated during the stadium’s opening match.

In addition to accommodating major sporting events, the stadium functions as a multifunctional center for sports, culture, and recreation. It is fully integrated into an existing park. In collaboration with WES Landschafts Architektur, the entire site has been redeveloped into a large-scale recreational area and a lively communal space for nearby residential neighborhoods. Pathways radiate outward from the stadium, connecting it to surrounding sports and leisure facilities, retail spaces, and restaurants. A continuous watercourse flows through the park, creating a visual and spatial connection between the landscape and the arena.