Eden Park

Auckland, New Zealand

Populous was the lead consultant for the redevelopment of New Zealand’s premier stadium, Eden Park, for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The redevelopment saw the stadium capacity increased to 60,000 for the Rugby World Cup finals before reducing to 50,000 in its legacy mode.

The stadium is set within a sensitive historical residential neighbourhood. It is this residential context, lack of public transport access and the varying state of repair of the various stands which has created a complex array of issues to be addressed in the design.

The redeveloped stadium embodies the principles of sustainable sports architecture through the careful retention and integration of existing facilities into a new east and south stand, the re-orientation of the cricket block to create an improved spectator experience and the development of a public transport hub to the western end of the ground. The new master plan directs people away from the sensitive residential neighbourhood and encloses the stadium to reduce noise and light pollution to the surrounding properties.