Puskás Aréna in the final of Stadium of the Year’s Jury Award

Hungary’s new national stadium has reached the final stage of Stadium of the Year’s Jury Award. This vote celebrates the best of sports architecture and it might once more be won by a Hungarian venue, following last year’s title for DVTK Stadion.

There were nearly 30 modern stadiums opened around the world in 2019. 21 of them qualified to run for Stadium of the Year awards. Now the final list of 10 stadiums has been revealed for the prestigious Jury Award.

Puskás Aréna is one of the largest stadiums opened last year, competing in terms of scale only with Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. All three are have qualified for the final consideration of this year’s Jury.

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Interestingly, for the first time ever, it’s actually Asian stadiums that constitute most of the list of finalists. Al Janoub Stadium in Qatar, the Tokyo Olympic Stadium, two Chinese stadia (in Datong and Wuhan) and a surprising debut from the Philippines (New Clark City Stadium) have also made it on the list. Finally, Australia’s Bankwest Stadium is the last finalist.

Why should Puskás Aréna win?

Budapest’s new treasure represents quality architecture with great respect to its site’s heritage. It’s rarely seen for a new stadium to be designed with such attention to historical elements of its predecessor. The latticework staircases and eastern tower are monuments of history and yet fit almost perfectly within the modern form.

Such successful combinations of old and new are hard to find.

This is reflected in high marks from the Jury in the first round of voting. Interestingly, one of the Jurors is Hungarian. Bence Pottyondy represents great architectural tradition and was on the team behind DVTK Stadion in Miskolc. Because that stadium won last year’s Jury Award, a member of the winning team was invited to join the Jury.

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Aside from Pottyondy, this year’s Jury is packed with other stars of stadium design, John Rhodes (HOK Architecture, London), John Roberts (AFL Architects, Manchester) and Antonino Vultaggio (HPP Architekten, Dusseldorf).

Selection of the winning stadium is expected on March 18, unless the Jury requires more time for final determination.

Second Award also oup for grabs

Aside from the Jury Award, Puskás Aréna also stands for a second vote, this time by the populous of internet users worldwide. The Public Award is decided between all 21 modern stadiums opened in 19 countries in 2019.

In a democratic spirit everyone can cast only one vote, by selecting 5 most interesting stadia from the list. The vote is free and doesn’t reguire registration. The voting platform will remain open until March 15 under this address:

http://stadiumdb.com/competitions/stadium_of_the_year_2019

GO and VOTE!

Source: StadiumDB.com