Stadionul Rapid-Giulești – stadium description
How did the new Rapid Bucharest stadium
get built?
The contract for the construction of Rapid Bucharest's new stadium was
signed on November 1, 2024. The main contractor was a consortium of three companies,
Construcții Erbașu, Concelex and Terra Gaz Construct. The project was carried out under
the design and build formula. The investment was managed by Compania Națională de
Investiții (CNI) on behalf of the Ministry of Development, Public Works and
Administration. The architectural design was the responsibility of Construcţii Erbaşu
SA and Popp & Asociaţii SRL, in cooperation with other parties.
The value of the
contract was more than 98.3 million lei (this amount increased to more than 185.3
million lei at the end). The investment was financed by government funds, as part of
the improvement of the infrastructure of the leading football venues in the capital
(the same programme also funded the construction of the new Steaua stadium and the
Arcul de Triumf stadium). The venue was due to reach functionality in May 2024, so that
it could become one of the training facilities during Euro 2024.
How did the
construction of Rapid Bucharest's new stadium proceed?
The facility was to replace
Rapid's previous stadium, the outdated Stadionul Giuleşti-Valentin Stănescu, which
opened in 1939. In January 2024, demolition of the old stadium began and construction
of the new arena began in its place. Development suffered a significant delay and the
venue was not ready for Euro 2024, even though the event was postponed by a year due to
the COVID-19 pandemic.
What was the name given to Rapid Bucharest's new
stadium?
Initially, the new venue was to be called Rapid Arena. However, in 2024 it was
decided to name it Stadionul Rapid-Giulești, similar to that of its predecessor,
although already without Valentin Stănescu as patron. The member Giulești refers to the
name of the district where the stadium is located.
When was the new Stadionul
Rapid-Giulești opened?
The official inauguration of the stadium took place on March 26,
2024. The opening ceremony included a match between legends and a laser show, and the
highlight of the evening was Rapid's friendly match against Politehnica Timișoara
(1:0). The first league match at the new facility took place on April 2, 2024 (Rapid -
FC Botoșani 3:0). On May 19, 2024, the final match of the Romanian Cup was played at
the venue (Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe - FC Voluntari 2:1), and in June 2024, the first two
matches at Rapid's new stadium, in the League of Nations, were played by the Romanian
national team.
What are the features of Stadionul Rapid-Giulești?
The stadium has a
football-specific layout, with stands located behind the end lines of the pitch.
Between the stand behind the north goal and the pitch, there is still a straight,
60-metre long running track with four tracks. This is a reference to the old stadium,
where the space behind the north goal was also covered with tartan. The arena's pitch
is equipped with a hybrid turf, drainage and heating system.
The auditorium of the
stadium is fully covered. The main stand on the west side has VIP boxes and has been
divided into two tiers. The capacity of the facility is 14,050 spectators. The seats in
the stands are in three maroon shades, a number of white chairs form the inscriptions
"Rapid", "1923" (the year the club was founded) and the Rapid logo. The upper sections
are inclined at a slightly steeper angle.
The facility is located on a rather tight
plot of land, bounded on the west by the street that runs through it, on the east by
the railway tracks, on the north by the sports hall and on the south by the theatre
building and the indoor swimming pool. The spatial constraints significantly influenced
the shape of the stadium.
As the railway tracks run very close to the north-east
corner, this angle is clearly 'truncated'. For symmetry, a similar treatment has been
applied to the south-east corner, although there is still some open space behind it.
The eastern stand differs considerably in shape from the others and is also noticeably
lower than them. The division of the main stand into two tiers has enabled some space
to be gained.
The space underneath the auditorium has been used for numerous purposes,
including eight training areas, a 60-metre indoor track, a small bowling alley and
hotel rooms. The building also contains offices, changing rooms, toilets, storage
areas, a conference room, catering facilities and space for the club shop and museum.
With the additional functions, the facility is expected to be used throughout the week,
not just on match days. The stadium has 184 parking spaces, 164 of which are
underground.
From the outside, the building is covered with a non-uniform façade. The
building is clad in vertical slats, white and black panels, has lots of windows, and a
prominent, night-lit sign with the name of the stadium has been placed on the exterior
of the main stand. Numerous concrete pillars rise above the structure, supporting the
roof structure.
The roof is made of trapezoidal sheet metal and finished with narrow
glazed sections. The canopy is fitted with floodlights; as the covering of the eastern
stand is slightly lower, a special frame has been fitted there, so that the spotlights
in this section are at the same height as the others. The floodlights produce a light
intensity of 2000 lux. Under the roof, above the stands behind the goalposts, there are
two LED screens.
