Total redevelopment for the Maracanã stadium

Brazil’s iconic Maracanã stadium has been totally rebuilt and modernised to be the highlight of the World Cup. The stadium, which is in Rio de Janeiro, has been redesigned using modern materials and will benefit from polymer materials and technology. 

The stadium, which will host the final match of the tournament, has undergone massive redevelopments after Brazil was awarded the World Cup in order to comply with FIFA’s standards. The entire bottom tier was rebuilt bringing the capacity to 79,000 seats.

The centrepiece of the stadium is the new roof that is made of a special PTFE-coated glass fabric and cable both produced and designed by systems engineering company, Hightex.

The material creates the illusion of being weightless, however, the fabric is durable, water repellent and very strong. PTFE glass is a noncombustible material that is a blend of fibreglass and PTFE.

The roof spans 46,100m2 and is designed to cover spectators from any Brazilian weather. The PTFE glass fabric transmits light; it diffuses natural daylight to create a natural open feel but creates a “stunning backdrop” for the night games, according to the company.

There is very little maintenance, says Hightex, as there is an anti-adhesive coating that produces a self-cleaning effect. This helps prevent dirt and helps it retain its clean white surface.

“As the engineer and installer of the cable system and the membrane roof of the Maracanã we are proud having successfully completed this challenging stadium project,” Frank Molter, CEO of the Hightex Group, commented.

“At the same time we have demonstrated once more our technical excellence and Hightex team’s skills and know-how in large membrane and cable structure projects.”

Official figures have not been released about the cost of the stadium, however, it was reported back in 2009 when the project was first proposed that the estimated cost would be about $500 million.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the three-year project total costs were 1.1 billion Brazilian Reais or $536 million.

Maracanã will host seven matches during the world cup but also will be used again in 2016 when Brazil hosts the Olympics.