Sivas Stadium

Ridgeline Houses — residential project by Meridian Studio, a house in a big yard with a black car in front of the house

Location

Sivas, Türkiye

Recognition

2017 · ArchDaily Building of the Year Candidate · Stadium of the Year 2016 Nominee

Overview

Completed in 2016, Sivas Stadium is a 27,532-seat football venue designed in direct response to the city’s cold, dry climate. The stadium combines passive environmental strategies, active energy production, rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse within a compact architectural envelope conceived to withstand heavy snowfall and strong northern winds.

Challenge

Sivas experiences long winters, heavy snow, severe temperature changes and persistent northern winds. The central challenge was to create a large public venue that could maintain spectator comfort while reducing the considerable energy demands normally associated with heating and ventilating a stadium in such conditions.

Solution

BKA developed a compact, inward-looking form protected by a predominantly opaque outer shell. The northern façade uses a double-skin system with an insulating air cavity that acts as a buffer against cold winds. This protective layer spirals toward an S-shaped opening on the south, allowing warmer air to enter and support natural ventilation. Glazed areas on the east and west elevations admit solar radiation, while operable sections of the northern envelope support airflow during summer. Photovoltaic panels positioned along the southern roof produce renewable energy, while channels integrated into the roof collect rainwater and melted snow for landscape irrigation and toilet flushing. Together, these systems reduce the stadium’s dependence on mechanical heating, cooling and mains water.

Result

Sivas Stadium demonstrates how climate can become the primary generator of architectural form. Its protective envelope, passive ventilation strategy, solar-energy system and integrated water cycle transform the venue into an environmental infrastructure as well as a football stadium. The building became the new home of Sivasspor and a contemporary sporting landmark for the city.