Article source:  gmp · von Gerkan, Marg and Partners · Architects

In the southern Chinese city of Dongguan – a city of several million – a basketball stadium has been completed to plans by architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp). The building can be seen from afar and is a landmark that provides identity and orientation to the people in the new district of Liaobu. The stadium has space for nearly 15,000 visitors and can be used for sports and other events; it is the new main competition venue for one of the most successful Chinese basketball teams, the Dongguan Leopards. Basketball is increasingly popular with the Chinese, particularly so since Yao Ming, who is celebrated as a national hero, made his entry into the US basketball league – the NBA.

Image Courtesy © Christian Gahl

• Architects: gmp · von Gerkan, Marg and Partners · Architects
• Project: Basketball stadium
• Location: Dongguan, China
• Photography: Christian Gahl
• Competition: 2006 – 1st prize
• Design: Meinhard von Gerkan and Stephan Schütz with Stephan Rewolle
• Project Manager: Katina Roloff
• Scheme design team: Yang Li, Linda Stannieder, Yin Chao Jie, Cao Ping, Marlene Törper, Zhou Bin
• Detailed design team: Cao Ping, Yang Li, Yin Chao Jie, Jenny Thia, Andreas Maue, Pan Xin, Matthias Wiegelmann, Johannes Erdmann, Clemens Döhler, Sun Lulu, Artur Platt, Zhou Bin, Li Ling
• Structural design: sbp – schlaich bergermann and partners, Stuttgart
• Chinese partner practice: CABR
• Client: Dongguan Civil Construction Administration Office
• GFA: 60,600 m²
• Seats: 14,730
• Construction period: 2009–2014