20 BEST BUILDS
MERCEDES-BENZ SUPERDOME
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, US
Capacity: 73,208 (expandable to 76,468)
Tenants: New Orleans Saints (NFL) Sugar
Bowl (NCAA) New Orleans Jazz (NBA)
Re-opened: September 2006
Okay, we know it’s not a new build, but we had
to make a special mention on this list to one of
the most challenging and emotional renovation
projects in recent history. The Mercedes-Benz
Superdome, which originally opened as the
Louisiana Superdome in 1975, is an icon of the
New Orleans skyline and holds a special place
in the city’s history.
When Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, the
Superdome served as a shelter of last resort for
more than 30,000 evacuees who had no other
means to leave the city. If not for the stadium
acting as a refuge, many of them could have
perished. However, this took its toll on the venue.
Following the Hurricane, US$185m was spent
to repair and refurbish the damage caused by the
storm. A monumental task to take on, fan
amenities were upgraded, the roof was replaced,
and new technology was retrofitted into its hub.
It was reopened in time for the Saints’ Super
Bowl-winning season and the stadium has since
been listed on the National Register of Historic
Places in 2016. With a total of seven Super Bowls,
it has hosted the crowning event more than any
other venue in the NFL.
THE O2 ARENA
Location: London, UK
Capacity: 20,000
Tenants: Various
Opened: June 2007
The O2 arena is a multi-purpose indoor stadium in the center of the O2 entertainment complex on the
Greenwich Peninsula in southeast London. Built entirely within the former Millennium Dome, which
opened in 1999, the venue is underneath one of the world’s largest and most iconic single roof structures.
The 1,000,000ft² (100,000m²) tensile white canopy is raised on a 1,200ft (365m)-diameter circular base,
which creates an undulating edge more than one kilometer in circumference.
The roof is perforated by 12 yellow towers 328ft (100m) high, each intended to represent the hours of a
clock and every month of the year. It was designed by Buro Happold and the entire roof structure weighs
less than the air contained within the building.
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