Popularly known as “the Cathedral,” the old stadium of the Athletic Club of Bilbao dated back to 1913, and was one of Spain’s oldest. In 2004 the City Council began to plan its replacement with a more modern facility with greater capacity, located practically in the same place. The footprint of the new San Mamés steps on that of the older stadium, which forced to carry out the construction in two phases to avoid having to move the team when playing at home. The first parts of the stadium to go up were the two sides and the west end, so the transfer was done in 2013, and later on the old stadium was demolished to build the new east end.

The privileged location of the stadium, at the end of the urban expansion areas and on the banks of the Nervión River, gives the stadium great visibility. The volume sits boldly on its site and, at the same time, tries to function on an urban scale in relation to the remaining structures in the area through the activation of its perimeter. With this objective, the design places the public sports center under one of the stands, and gives the transition areas and the rear part of the stadium a special value. These circulation spaces, through which one reaches and returns from the stands, are defined by a dynamic facade that connects the interior and exterior spaces. The facade becomes the most distinctive element with the repetition of twisting ETFE panels. These pieces are illuminated at nighttime, drawing attention to the stadium as an urban landmark on the estuary.

Another essential factor when designing the new San Mamés Stadium was the will to maintain the atmosphere that has traditionally characterized this stadium, defined by the unique arrangement of the stands, which are very close to the field making the audience exert a lot of pressure on the development of the games. Though the stadium’s capacity has gone up to 53,000 spectators, the new venue maintains the special configuration of the stands, which tilt towards the field. The seating area is covered by a skin of white ETFE cushions held by radial metallic trusses stretching also in the direction of the field.

The stadium has large restaurant and cafeteria areas, VIP stands, and premium seating, as well as leisure and service areas and spaces reserved for the football club like a museum, the official store, and meeting areas for members and management.