Athletic and football stadium Letzigrund

The Letzigrund Stadium, which opened to athletes in 1925, is located in the Altstetten district, three kilometers west of downtown Zurich. In 2006, the stadium was demolished to make way for a new sanctuary that hosted the European Football Championship in 2008. Currently, the stadium serves as the home ground for the football clubs FC Zurich and GC Zurich, as well as the athletic association LC Zurich. Besides sporting events (with a capacity of 25,000 spectators), the stadium also occasionally hosts music performances for up to 50,000 listeners.
The design of the new stadium emerged from an architectural competition won by a pair of local firms, Bétrix & Consolascio and Frei & Ehrensperger. Total costs rose to 125 million Swiss francs. All construction is located beneath the western stand, which gradually transitions into a radial roofing in the remaining parts of the stadium. The playing field is set below ground level so that the resulting mass does not exceed the surrounding buildings. In the basement of the western section, there is an underground parking lot, gymnasium, fitness rooms, and technical rooms. The ground floor features the entrance foyer, offices, and changing rooms for athletes. The upper floor houses offices for staff, management, and kitchens. The top floor then includes a restaurant with a viewing box. In 2007, it was the largest steel structure in Switzerland. The oval roof, with an area of 22,000 m², is supported by 27 pairs of corten steel columns.