Nelson Mandela Bay: honesty at all costs

Arriving at Nelson Mandela Bay, in Port Elizabeth, the first feeling caused by the sheer volumetry of the arena causes a strange sensation: through its lack of proportion between covering and structure, it reminds you of a meringue that has been flattened. If it is the first impression that stays, as a rule, this is not what happens with the stadium that was named in honour of the best known South African in the world.

Entirely produced from pre-fabricated concrete and metallic elements, this sports complex has shown itself to be very balanced in all its items. The finishing is simple yet functional.

Different from the Moses Mahbida Stadium, which is much more luxurious both in finishing and decoration, it has floors in ceramic bricks on the outside of the stadium and also in open-air parts, internally; cemented floors and a type of slate, in several other internal areas. The seats are coloured and comfortable, while visibility is very good from anywhere in the stadium, and the areas set aside for the press and for supporter services are also correct and highly functional, including bathrooms and snack bars.

All FIFA requirements are well complied with. On going through the installations of this arena, we can see that the initial impression is erroneous: this is a stadium which, through the result of a satisfactory project and quality construction, at a reasonable cost, can be considered as an “honest” stadium, in the several meanings of the word. Without any doubt, there is a consensus among the Brazilian architects that visited the stadium that it is one of the best references for the projects of Brazilian stadiums. “This is really a very good stadium, even though it is simple, and has been well designed and constructed, and is therefore a reference that could be used in Brazil”, in the appraisal of architect Marc Duwe, from the Setepla Tecnometal architecture firm, who was the author of the new project for the Fonte Nova stadium in Salvador, Bahia.

To the scale of the city
Nelson Mandela Bay, whose name derives from the honour that the city of Port Elizabeth has made to the Black leader and former South African President, by renaming the most important bay, is the first stadium in the province of the West Cape dedicated exclusively to football. The residents of Port Elizabeth have much pride in having managed to inaugurate their stadium in 2009, one year before the World Cup. The design of the stadium is based on the national flower of South Africa, the Protea, which also gives a nickname to the South African cricket team.

The stadium, which cost 460 million dollars, is one of the cheapest in recent World Cups. The perception of anyone visiting the stadium compares the final result - the integration with the surroundings, with the beautiful view to the North End Lake, and especially the final cost of the work, and then makes the basic calculations of cost/benefits, thus seeing that, just like the famous person who gave the stadium its name, the stadium is well adapted (not only architecturally but also in terms of the social, economic and cultural reality) to the city and also to the country. At last, a suitable arena. “I found this stadium to be just wonderful. It is very interesting and highly efficient, with simple materials, partial cover of the field, and a design with great functionality, everything to the scale of the city and its budget”, is the analysis of architect Laura Penna, the Managing Partner of architecture firm Gustavo Penna e Associados, the authors of the project for the Mineirão stadium, in Belo Horizonte.