Precast elements for the FIFA World Cup

Figure: R. Mehl

The recent history of Brazilian architecture is marked by the concrete buildings designed by Oscar Niemeyer: Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC) in Rio de Janeiro-Niteroi

Figure: R. Mehl

Most matches of this year’s FIFA World Cup will take place in the Maracanã Stadium Rio de Janeiro

Figure: R. Mehl

Overall view of the stadium in Rio de Janeiro, which was built in 1950 and included in the list of protected buildings

Figure: R. Mehl

To keep the outward appearance virtually unchanged, the old cantilever roof was cut off above the eaves level. This image clearly shows the new outer compression ring that stabilizes the roof just like a bicycle rim

Figure: R. Mehl

The cantilever roof of the Belo Horizonte stadium was preserved. The first-tier terracing was newly built

Figure: R. Mehl

The new National Stadium in Brasilia features a ring of 288 UHPC columns that surround the inner bowl in a temple-like arrangement

Figure: R. Mehl

The Manaus stadium includes a diamond-shaped steel-lattice framework that encloses the stadium bowl made of precast elements

Figure: R. Mehl

Due to their enormous projection, the cantilever sections of the stepped beams in the Arena da Amazônia are made of prestressed precast elements

Figure: R. Mehl

The Salvador da Bahia stadium has a horseshoe shape that opens up to TororoLake. This opening features a suspended bridge level with a large open-air restaurant

Figure: R. Mehl

Although the new São Paulo stadium is marked by its steel structure, its closed building sections consist of precast elements

Figure: R. Mehl

The upcoming FIFA World Cup in Brazil will take place in twelve stadiums. Six of them were primarily designed by German architects and engineers. This article provides an overview of these projects.

For several decades, Brazilian architecture had been strongly influenced by the concrete buildings designed by Oscar Niemeyer, who died in 2012 at the age of 104. The former office manager of iconic architect Le Corbusier conceived countless buildings in the country, with a focus on the current capital, Brasilia. This center of the Brazilian government was largely constructed from the ground up in the 1960s according to the design by Lcio Costa whose layout resembles an airplane.

Even though contemporary Brazilian architects are increasingly trying to emancipate themselves from their “design...