Mané: Brasilia's eco-arena is a model for the world.
The architects behind the Mané Garrincha National Stadium project are presenting details of the work at an international symposium on modern constructions, held at the Convention Center. Inspired by the work of Oscar Niemeyer, the arena follows sustainability concepts, reusing water for field irrigation, bathroom cleaning, and capturing solar energy, in addition to adapting to nature: at 17 pm, the sun penetrates the structure and creates a design on the roof; as the hours pass, the design changes position, with images that gradually integrate with the building.
ComCopa - Architecture with Brasília's DNA. That was the concept that inspired architect Eduardo Castro Mello when designing the Mané Garrincha National Stadium in Brasília. He and engineer Knut Stockhusen, who also designed the project, showed the construction stages, technical characteristics, and sustainability of the Brasília arena. "We followed the pillars used by Oscar Niemeyer in several of the city's monuments, with repeated columns and open spaces for people to circulate," he explained.
The two presented the project details during a lecture at the Annual Symposium of the International Association for Shells and Space Structures (IASS), at the Ulysses Guimarães Convention Center, this Friday (September 19). The event, with more than 400 professionals from Brazil and abroad, had as its main theme modern and ecologically correct constructions.
“Sustainability has been our concern from the beginning, with water reuse for field irrigation, bathroom cleaning, and solar energy capture,” stated Castro Mello. The architect showed how the Brasília arena also adapts to nature. “At 17 pm, the sun penetrates the structure and creates a design on the roof. As the hours pass, the design changes position, with images that gradually integrate with the building,” he cited.
The multi-arena character was also highlighted by Castro Mello, with presentations of national and international shows, a carnival ball, a women's soccer championship, major Brazilian soccer games, and a futsal match between Brazil and Argentina.
One of the event participants, Greek architecture student Loannis Mirtsopoulos, considered the presentation enriching for his future work, to be developed abroad. "It was a great experience to understand the motivation and feelings regarding the construction of a World Cup stadium," he commented.
Four other stadiums built for the World Cup – the Fonte Nova (Salvador), Castelão (Fortaleza), Pantamal (Cuiabá) and Dunas (Natal) arenas – were also presented to the participants.
The president of Terracap, Maruska Lima, who coordinated the construction of the Mané Garrincha stadium, moderated the panel discussion on stadiums and explained that Brazil today has an engineering sector that is rapidly evolving. "I can speak with authority because I participated in the construction of the National Stadium in Brasília. The experience is unique and singular. We are professionals proud of what we have done," she stated.
Maruska Lima commented that the projects presented are distinct, but they all shared the challenge of a short deadline and technological innovation. "We understand that the greatest legacy for us professionals is the legacy of knowledge," she concluded.
About the Association – The IASS was founded in 1959 and has its headquarters and secretariat in Madrid, Spain. Its main objective is to promote the advancement of the design, analysis, and construction of lightweight structural systems. Annually, the IASS organizes an International Symposium focused on topics of general interest to engineers, architects, and builders. The Brasília event is held in partnership with the Latin American Network for Tensile Structures, which jointly organizes the 6th Latin American Symposium on Tensile Structures.