Stadium of Life

Park designs one of the stands for the Stadium of Life, realized near Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. The initiative is the result of a collaboration with RISE – an NGO promoting local entrepreneurship through architecture – and Kick4Life, an organisation that leverages sport, and football in particular, as a driver of inclusion and cultural awareness. Park’s contribution takes shape in a stand featuring a covered seating area and a series of planted tubs that also serve as seats. Titled Theatre of Life, the intervention includes a dedicated space for gathering and interaction, transforming sport into a platform for connection and community building. The concept is rooted in local materials and guided by the surrounding context and a strong sense of place. The structure of the stand evokes the Southern Bald Ibis – a symbolic bird of Lesotho – captured mid-flight, and is built entirely from locally sourced timber. Clay is used for the seating tubs and flooring, ensuring full integration with the landscape. A key feature of the project, the greenery-filled tubs host three distinct ecosystems reflecting Lesotho’s natural regions – Highveld Grasslands, Afroalpine Grasslands, and Afromontane Grasslands – with native trees, shrubs, and grasses attracting a variety of local fauna. Each planter offers a sensory experience shaped by the species it contains: the delicate tufts of Eragrostis curvula, the sculptural presence of Nicotiana glauca, or the refined beauty of Moraea pallida. Vegetation is not merely ornamental – it tells a story and supports a wider narrative that celebrates biodiversity. The intersection of sport and nature is one of the central themes of the project, aiming to raise awareness about the environmental impact of sports infrastructure and the need for socially and ecologically conscious design. Theatre of Life is part of a broader vision: the Stadium of Life, promoted by Kick4Life and Rise International, was conceived as a safe and inclusive environment where football becomes a vehicle for education, dialogue and opportunity for young people in Lesotho. As Africa’s first stadium made entirely of FSC-certified timber and local materials, the Stadium of Life shows how sustainable architecture can generate lasting value for communities. The facility already hosts workshops on life skills, gender equality, climate change, job training and public health. Every space is designed to be flexible and multipurpose, supporting athletic, educational and cultural programming. Through its participation, Park contributes to a collective effort to rethink the role of architecture in contexts rich in both human and ecological potential. Theatre of Life becomes more than a gathering place – it stands as a symbol of biodiversity, resilience, and a future where design is truly in service of people.