Zoom Satellite to Cape Town Stadium

Cape Town Stadium is one of the 10 host venues for the 19th FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Several matches will be played at this stadium with a capacity of 70,000, the first on 11 June when Uruguay will be facing France. To mark the occasion, EADS Astrium subsidiary Spot Image reports the bold architectural design with a product demonstration of the future Pléiades Satellite at 50 cm resolution.

Bold architectural design
The product demonstration of the future Pléiades Satellite at 50 cm resolution depicts the innovations that went into the design of the 37,000 sq.m roof of Cape Town Stadium. Its basic structure resembles a bicycle wheel, open in the middle, and weighs 4,700 tonnes. Some 72 cables linking the outer and inner rings of the circle were slowly tightened to raise the roof from ground level to its present height. The roof’s inner ring houses the 360 lights (instead of high exterior masts).

Pléiades 50-cm demonstration product, 2010








Satellite imageries retrace the construction of the stadium between 2006 and 2010. Images from the SPOT 5 and KOMPSAT-2 satellites show over a period of 5 years how this giant arena and its bold architectural design were woven into the urban fabric.

 Building a giant

 
     


       2006               2007              2008                2009              2010
 
In the 2006 image, the old 18,000-seat Green Point Stadium is still visible. Construction of the new stadium began next to the old one in March 2007. It is built on land taken from the adjoining golf course, now halved in size. In 2007, the first pillars are going up, surrounded by cranes. In 2008, the three tiers have been erected and work on the access road to the south is underway. In 2009, the inner ring of the roof is in place, held by cables. And in 2010, the roof has been raised, the pitch inaugurated and the car parks and access roads are operational.

Urban and symbolic integration
The stadium dominates the Cape Town skyline when arriving by sea. Strategically located at a stone’s throw from the ocean, between the harbour, the downtown and the Victoria and Albert Waterfront tourist area, the new stadium further raises the profile of this mythical city. It lies in the centre of an 85-hectare sports and outdoor activity park, with a golf course and a public leisure area connected to the famous Sea Point beachfront promenade.
 
 

KOMPSAT-2 image, 2010
 








Download the images:
Construction of Cape Town Stadium www.spotimage.com/web/en/3218-construction-of-the-stadium-capetown.php

Internet: www.spotimage.com