The former stadium "Athletic Bilbao", one of the largest clubs in Europe, was a real legend: it stood for almost a century and was often called nothing more than a temple of football. The building spot of the new stadium, also called San Mames, overlaps with the territory of the old one. This entailed splitting the construction into two stages so that the club did not have to look for another site for training and games. Once most of the new stadium was completed, all sporting activities were relocated there, and the old stadium was demolished, making room for completion.
One of the main challenges in the design of the new stadium was the preservation of the “magic” atmosphere of the old “football temple”. According to eyewitnesses, this atmosphere was not only preserved, but also strengthened, fully satisfying all the aspirations of the club's fans.
The location of the stadium on the waterfront within the city - in the new district of Bilbao - obliges the building to combine monumentality with respect for the surrounding buildings. That is why the stadium is designed as a full-fledged city building, and not just a sports facility.
The architects have paid special attention to those parts of the stadium that are traditionally neglected. These are the spaces between the perimeter of the stadium and the rear of the stands through which people enter and leave the stands, the most important part of the stadium. To add “value” to these zones, the authors of the project not only applied spectacular spatial solutions here, but also ensured their maximum connectivity with the urban environment. The façade, made up of repetitive curved ETFE panels, has become a critical element for this task. At night, it is illuminated from the inside with one of the world's most advanced dynamic lighting systems. The roof, consisting of radial cables, is covered with white ETFE structures that completely cover the stands. The stands, in turn, are located in such a way as to ensure maximum involvement of the fans in the game, which was typical for the old stadium, where the fans literally "hung" over the field, creating powerful psychological pressure.
The stadium is equipped with VIP boxes, premium seating with areas for relaxation and negotiations. There are also conference rooms, restaurants, cafes, the Athletic Bilbao Museum and its official store, and a sports center open to the public under one of the stands. The new San Mames has a capacity of 53,000, 13,000 more than its predecessor.
