In the year 2009 city of Dubrovnik opened a public competition for the new City soccer stadium Lapad in Dubrovnik with residential - commercial content in the contact zone of the stadium.
Current stadium is located within the larger city of Dubrovnik in Lapad area and does not meet the minimum requirements for playing football according to the international rules. It was decided to open a public competition for a new municipal stadium on the existing location because of the tradition of sport in the area and potential of existing infrastructures in order to revitalize an existing site.
The interest of the city of Dubrovnik was redefining this part of the city by creating a new public content. The contact zone comprises interesting examples of the last century modern urbanism and generic family houses. Goal of the competition was to define boundaries of the public space, taking into account the property legislation and establishing functional and formal relationships between quality of existing housing and new multifunctional stadium. The planned construction of a new stadium provides a capacity of approximately 5000 spectators. Young architectural office NFO from Zagreb won a 3rd prize (the first prize was never awarded). In the existing urban situation insertion of a circle reconciled different typologies that surround the plot creating different condition outwards and inwards. Circle adjusted its initial form to the plot borders and topography. Main access square is located on the south side of the complex, formed by raising the volume of the circle forming a covered area with access to the stadium and commercial content. Underground levels are filled with commercial content while in the areas above the entrance are catering facilities and representative offices overlooking the pitch. Spaces for athletes and officials are placed under the western stand. Management is located in the northern part of the stadium along with part of the space for the media. Techniques, facilities and club rooms for maintaining the stadium are located under the north stands overlooking the garden. Required flats are designed as a gallery system, which faces the inner courtyard of the stadium while all the major rooms are looking outwards. Galleries are recessed in relation to housing areas and thus providing a double-orientation of every flat. Under the entire surface of soccer field is a public garage with separate access for athletes, users and residents.
