One of the more interesting multiuse stadiums around that I'v not seen mentioned here before(I'd guess people in the west may only have seen it hosting Pride FC MMA events). Basically it can switch between a 37,000 capacity football configuration and a 20,000 seat arena by shifting one stand backwards and rotating the playing area by 90 degrees. For more detail follow the link....

http://www.architectureweek.com/2000/0517/design_2-1.html

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Saitama_Super_Arena-2005-9-11_1.jpg/300px-Saitama_Super_Arena-2005-9-11_1.jpg

Never heard of it (can't find it on Worldstadiums.com either) but it looks awesome.

The Japanese love infusing technology into their stadiums don't they!...nothing beats the Sapporo Dome for sheer futurism in stadium design (the Allianz has got a funky facade but behind is relatively normal)

If you go back to my post of my statiscal ranking, you'll see it in there.

Awesome, great stuff.

We (Greece) will be glad to win the World Basketball Championship in an arena like this

Did they use this in world cup 2002?
where does the all the other stands go when they convert it to a basketball arena?

The stands don't go anywhere. They just retract a few meters to create a flat wall on each side as do a lot of the lower tier corners. The other end then slides and connects.

Arena mode.
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/1603/saitamasuperarea29ak.jpg


Stadium mode
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/7333/saitamasuperarea18rp.jpg

The arena part is awesome, IMHO. Almost like it was built for the NBA, with lots of suites, very good sightlines, and most importantly housing most seats on the sides.

The stadium part though, would be a hard sell for a permanent professional venue. The money making sideline seats are much smaller in number and by design have to be further away from the action. Its hard to know if the design is something that would be all that desired. Perhaps it would work in the US for an NFL dome that hosts the Final Four? It would have to have much more money making ability. I'd imagine that before its done again, a lot has to be considered to make the design better. I'm not saying its bad. I really like it, but could understand why its not been done a few times.


Pros:
- Innovative, great idea
- Great arena setup
- Great space saver for Japan

Cons:
- Sideline seats are far away in the stadium mode.
- By design the roof is too low.
- Cramped upper decks. I think this can be perfected.
- Cost. Two perfect venues could be created for less.

If I were to redesign it, I'd focus more on matching the sideline seats to the ends, then retracting those entire sidelines in the same way the ends(football ends/arena sidelines) retract. That would be a lot more expensive though, but would likely recoup the cost as revenue. Double entrance tunnels could be used at ground level to match up with the existing ones on the ends in either configuration. I would also raise the roof more since you're using suspended panels anyway. This could be an earthquake consideration though. All-in-all I like the attempt though. Just really wondering if it will ever be done again.

At the latest Pride FC Shockwave they talked about of record crowd of ~50.000, how did that fit??

What's the cost for it? Wouldn't it have been easier to use some kind of removable "floor" for stadium use? Of course, the "arena" then would have been gigantic, but don't use the upper tier then...

We (Greece) will be glad to win the World Basketball Championship in an arena like this

We (Italy) will be there too.

I can't wait to see Bargnani or Mancinelli dunks on Fotsis&C :D ;)

a pic -

http://arch.cside.com/t020110/t-saitamaarena05.jpg

At the latest Pride FC Shockwave they talked about of record crowd of ~50.000, how did that fit??

They use it in "stadium" mode and have seats on the field aswell which normally adds around 10,000 to the capacity of most stadiums.

Interesting pro/con debate rantanamo but I think your looking at it from a US football perspective when aside from Pride I'd guess the stadium mode is used mostly for soccer which places less importance on side on seating, has a wider pitch and I'd guess would not find that roof too low.

I based that arguement looking at the recent designs of club/franchise stadiums all around the world. How many new stadiums anywhere have you seen with significantly more seats behind the end lines? More sideline seats is not that important to the average fan, but they certainly command higher prices.

I based that arguement looking at the recent designs of club/franchise stadiums all around the world. How many new stadiums anywhere have you seen with significantly more seats behind the end lines? More sideline seats is not that important to the average fan, but they certainly command higher prices.

The new Shakthar stadium in Ukraine is going to have its highest stand at one end also end stands in general are often associated with the most dedicated supporters in soccer. I wouldnt say there are even that many more seats at the ends than there is an the sides just that its more broken up into small tiers.

As are they in college basketball, but that's those fans that are closest to the action, not up in the nosebleeds.

looks good

@ Arena mode (20,000)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/128/321353534_a6e5e625a8_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/86/233831846_b5ed3c2d71_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/95/233831976_27deb97e17_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/95/233831709_6eeb6c85b0_o.jpg

@ Stadium mode (37,000)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/41/79843751_d3a561f211_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/36/79843187_0e105c05d4_b.jpg




http://farm1.static.flickr.com/153/431993063_3e2ef8ea5f_b.jpg

the name of this arena must be changed. Saitama Super Arena is not enough name. It must be Saitama Very Super Arena. One of the top points of the architecture on sport complexes in the world.

Something like this would be perfect for the University of Syracuse if it wasn't so darn expensive.

Is that WWE or a boxing bout?

The arena part is awesome, IMHO. Almost like it was built for the NBA, with lots of suites, very good sightlines, and most importantly housing most seats on the sides.

The stadium part though, would be a hard sell for a permanent professional venue. The money making sideline seats are much smaller in number and by design have to be further away from the action.

I think I largely agree with you. My initial reaction of this stadium / arena was one of almost gobsmacked wonder. In it's way, it truly is fantastic but a close look at it in stadium mode reveals a number of imperfections. You mention the general lack of sideline seats as a negative but the whole design of the stadium mode is a massive compromise to afford a more optimal design in arena mode. There is a lot of empty space along the sides in the stadium mode, which isn't desirable. As you say, the design of the sides leaves a lot to be desired but my main issue is that I think it would have been possible to do a much better job, rather than simply disliking the design.

It seems that the only design necessity for this stadium is that the upper tiers at the sides are recessed behind the upper tiers at the ends. This shouldn't dictate the depth of the side stands, merely where those tiers can start. In stadium mode, the design isn't optimal. I assume that this is a compromise in order to achieve a more optimal design for the arena mode, although I wouldn't be surprised if egress routes played a reasonably significant role as well - the latter chould be fairly easily overcome, however. Whether or not this is a worthwhile compromise depends entirely on where the stadium generates a majority of its income.

This is a fantastic design and I am amazed in a number of ways by the technical aspects of this structure. It's clearly innovative but like all such innovations, it isn't without it's problems and faults.

Whoa! What a freakin awesome arena.

Nothing special.In TX is Reliant Stadium.This arena is much multi-use than Saitama Super Arena.It can be used for american football,football/soccer and every indoor game.

Nothing special.In TX is Reliant Stadium.This arena is much multi-use than Saitama Super Arena.It can be used for american football,football/soccer and every indoor game.

But in any configuration, Reliant is still a stadium; Saitama Arena can switch from a stadium, to an arena, to a concert hall, and back again.
http://www.saitama-arena.co.jp/e/facility.html

Is it ever used for soccer? I know Urawa use two stadiums (Saitama Stadium and Urawa Komaba) and Omiya have moved back to Omiya Park.

Is that WWE or a boxing bout?

MMA I guess, what the venue is most famous for hosting although ironically in stadium rather than area mode.

Is it ever used for soccer? I know Urawa use two stadiums (Saitama Stadium and Urawa Komaba) and Omiya have moved back to Omiya Park.

With the artificial turf, the field was actually designed especially for American football. Imagine that.
http://www.saitama-arena.co.jp/e/facility.html

Nothing special.In TX is Reliant Stadium.This arena is much multi-use than Saitama Super Arena.It can be used for american football,football/soccer and every indoor game.

This is a pretty poor post.

The Reliant Stadium is a fantastic stadium but the arena modes of these two stadia just don't compare. In arena mode, Saitama is so far ahead that it isn't even funny as Saitama is actually an arena and a stadium in one - Reliant is far from that. It essentially remains a stadium with some temporary seating blocks put in. The transformation of Reliant is more labour intensive and time-consuming than at Saitama and it looks and feels like what it is - some temporary seats inside a much larger and vacuous space. Saitama is almost entirely enclosed in arena mode, which again creates a look and feel of an actual arena. In arena mode, the two simply do not compare.

The technology involved in the transformation of modes doesn't compare, nor does the architecture, especially when it comes to the configuration of egress etc. The sight lines for the Reliant Stadium in arena mode are considerably poorer than those at Saitama for a. In arena mode, there are a number of very poor views at Reliant. In terms of versatility, Saitama could be used for anything that Reliant Stadium can. This really does not suggest that the stadium in question is, 'nothing special,' considering that the design and technology used in the transformation from stadium to arena is vastly superior than at Reliant.

Don't get me wrong. I love Reliant Stadium. I think it looks fantastic, both inside and out. In stadium mode, Reliant Stadium is much better, not only in terms of capacity but also sighlines but that doesn't excuse the content of your post.

With the artificial turf, the field was actually designed especially for American football. Imagine that.
http://www.saitama-arena.co.jp/e/facility.html

Interesting, I was wondering why Omiya didn't use it given how close it is to Omiya Park and the fact that their fans are anti-Urawa.

Interesting, I was wondering why Omiya didn't use it given how close it is to Omiya Park and the fact that their fans are anti-Urawa.

I think it has something to do with artificial turf not being an optimal playing surface for association football. I have heard of many instances in which European clubs that played at American stadiums complained about the Field Turf.

Awesome arena, really amazing.

I think it has something to do with artificial turf not being an optimal playing surface for association football. I have heard of many instances in which European clubs that played at American stadiums complained about the Field Turf.

Yea, I've played soccer on fieldturf, the bounce of the ball off the turf is obscene.

With the artificial turf, the field was actually designed especially for American football. Imagine that.

Not exactly. "The laying of artificial turf over the field also makes this the first sports ground in Japan equipped especially for American Football."

Theres an interesting story behind this, if my japanese friend is to be believed (he used to work for Pride FC). The story goes that it was actually designed to accomodate football (soccer) almost as an after thought. However the artificial turf meant that was a dead end, and the artificial turf was the deal breaker regardless of the lack of sideline seats because it still holds 30,000. So when they say it's the only 'stadium' in japan specifically equiped rather than designed for american football, thats just management speak for making lemonade after having built a lemon. All hearsay mind, no official word. Just a bar story told between nerds.

If you're wondering why this incompetence is tolerated, well its not. We're judging the multi-purpose element of this design from too much of a sport centric view. Its not an arena/stadium, its an arena/big arena. Its one of japans premier music venues and convention centres [the main cash cow]. Thats its primary function in 'stadium' mode. japan doesnt have a lot of big arenas, yet needs them. Pro wrestling is huge here as well as no holds barred fighting and to a lesser extent boxing, however due to the nature of these events (traveling circus type events that dont have 'home' teams) a purpose built arena for that size is not viable for the price. As a result there aren't any. Also stadiums, where these events are usually held eventually hurt attendance. this is one reason why the pitch is so narrow.

The arena came to fruition through a very happy coincidence of many factors. Firstly its a prestigious project. That value to a Japanese bureaucrat shouldn't be under estimated, especially in a time when his superiors were looking to stimulate the economy by just building stuff. The more complex and elaborate the better, since its uses more industry. How do you think the sapporo dome came about? 42.2 bl yen buys specific stadia for both teams very comfortably. I should repeat its value as a prestigious [i.e show off japans ingenuity to the world] project shouldn't be ignored, especially to the descision makers.

zaibatsu expect gov'nt to make it easy for them to do business, its also a general societal expectation from the gov to do the same. Convention centres are just part of that infrastructure. And cultural buildings like this one need to keep up with the jones, so they killed two birds with one stone while just needing anchor tennants. This where sports teams fit in. They just miscalculated the turf issues. Even though it doesn't really matter, had they known about the turf (they wanted a world cup game there) they would just have built a rolling pitch, i kid you not!!

http://www.saitama-arena.co.jp/e/img/img_access_01.gif

http://http://www.architectureweek.com/2000/0524/images/11014_image_2.jpg

^^from architectureweek. photo by ellerbe becket