Windmill Inspired Stadiums

The Estadio Internacional in Monterrey

You’d be forgiven if, at first glance, you mistook this rendering for a UFO, but it is the concept work of HOK Sport for a new stadium to be built in Monterrey, Mexico.

The idea was inspired by the Mexican festivities, “the rehilete” when a windmill is give to children to celebrate national day. The overall design of this stadium is influenced by the design of a windmill. The sections of the building are constructed from eight steel mesh overlapping “leaves” which can change color using variable lighting within, thus giving the appearance of a fan or windmill turning. The weaving of the mesh is formed along the lines of a traditional native Mexican basket weave.

The Estadio Internacional will be an 80,000 seat stadium, which will host soccer, NFL and international athletics.

“Mexican Wave, has been adopted all over the world as a statement of people having fun, celebrating life,” says HOK’s Ron Sheard said. “The wave originated in Mexico in 1984 from the University Stadium in an exhibition game between Mexico and Argentina. We were enthusiastic to design a stadium that possessed something of that magic, fun loving spirit and evoking the roots of the Mexican pre-Hispanic culture.”