Tenderstream member Populous creates masterplan for Estádio da Luz

Top-flight Portuguese football club S.L. Benfica has unveiled a transformative new masterplan created by Tenderstream member Populous for Estádio da Luz in Lisbon. The plans will establish the stadium as a premier international sports and entertainment destination, while enhancing the fan experience and strengthening its connection with both supporters and the local community. 

The masterplan includes a 10,000-capacity multi-purpose indoor arena, capable of hosting concerts, cultural activities, esports and major sporting events. Two adaptable state-of-the-art indoor sports halls will be created, providing facilities for basketball, volleyball, and boxing. The development will also feature a new community swimming pool, an outdoor football pitch and running track, as well as a new theatre space alongside commercial and residential facilities. Benfiquistas – as the club’s supporters are known – will enjoy a new pre- and post-match gathering space in the form of a fan plaza. 

A new façade redefines the stadium’s form, tempering light and heat and providing shade for the concourses, while integrated LED lighting weaves a dynamic digital layer across the entire structure. A fourth level will be added outside the seating bowl, providing mixed-use space as part of a wider strategy to activate the stadium beyond matchdays and embed it more deeply in Lisbon’s urban life.

Tom Jones, Senior Principal and Project Architect, stated: “This masterplan is an example of how venue-anchored mixed-use developments can reinvigorate a whole district, and sets a new benchmark for how stadiums can serve as cultural and community beacons. Estádio da Luz will not just be a home for Benfica’s proud history, but a catalyst for its vibrant future.”

Lucy Nordberg

Tenderstream Head of Research

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