Design of the Athletic Stadium

The engineering team of KÉSZ Romania contributed to the structural design of the Budapest Athletics Stadium, which won the 2025 Architizer A+ Awards Popular Choice prize. The project was delivered in cooperation with leading design offices from five different countries.

The stadium’s structure consists of two main systems: a rigid spatial truss wall and a cable‑supported roof. Our team was responsible for the structural analysis of the wall during the various erection stages, including checks for 48 different installation phases and their temporary tie‑back systems, as well as for the detailed and fabrication design of the temporary steel structures.

The stadium has a usable area of 67,680 m². For the foundations, 1,200 tons of reinforced steel and 13,000 cubic meters of concrete were used. A total of 2,600 piles were drilled, with a combined length of 42 km. For the structural works, 4,300 tons of reinforced steel and 40,000 cubic meters of concrete were used. The rigid metal roof structure consists of 48 “diamond”-shaped elements, each weighing nearly 100 tons. The stadium roof is supported by a uniquely tensioned cable system, a solution unprecedented in Hungary. The total weight of the roof exceeds 18,000 tons. The playing field was designed asymmetrically, allowing spectators to follow the running and jumping events more closely. Almost 7,000 m² of turf were installed.

The precise engineering responses provided by our team played a major role in the successful delivery of this world‑class sports venue.

The roof structure, designed and built by the KÉSZ Group, is the world’s first “Open Arena”: thanks to its unique solutions, the stadium can host sports activities throughout the year, while the public park and outdoor training grounds open to the community complete the overall concept.

Project size and complexity:

• Usable area of the stadium: 67,680 m²
• Materials used for foundations:
  • 1,200 tons of reinforced steel
  • 13,000 m³ of concrete
• Number of piles drilled: 2,600, with a total length of 42 km
• Materials used for structural works:
  • 4,300 tons of reinforced steel
  • 40,000 m³ of concrete
• Rigid metal roof structure: 48 diamond-shaped elements, each weighing nearly 100 tons
• Total weight of the roof: over 18,000 tons