Theatre of Life

Park Associati designs one of the stands of the football pitch that is part of the new Stadium of Life, to be built in the Kingdom of Lesotho, near the capital Maseru.
The project originated from a collaboration with RISE, an NGO that focuses on helping implement local businesses in Lesotho through architecture, and the local NGO Kick4Life, which aims to raise cultural awareness through sport, football in particular.

The stadium is conceived as a multi-purpose structure for different activities, such as climate change education, gender empowerment, academic mentoring, health testing and entrepreneurship training. Park Associati was asked to create a stand that would complete one of the sides of the football pitch, identifying a covered area and some tubs of greenery integrating local flora that also serve as seating. The project includes a socializing space aimed at turning sport into a tool for inclusion and social cohesion.

The concept envisages the use of local materials as the result of a design process guided by the context and considerations on the importance of the sense of belonging to the territory. The shape of the stand's structure recalls a Southern Bald Ibis, a characteristic bird of Lesotho, spreading its wings, and will be entirely made using local wood. The tubs/seats and flooring on the other hand are designed to be made using clay, for total integration within the surrounding context.

One of the elements characterising the project, the tubs of greenery will contain three types of biodiversity related to the three typical regions of Lesotho – Highveld Grasslands, Afroalpine Grasslands, and Afromontane Grasslands – featuring trees, shrubs, perennial grasses and grasses, each attracting different native fauna.
From a naturalistic point of view, each region features a botanical richness of great interest – just think of the light tufts of Eragrostis curvula, the monumental Nicotiana glauca, or the refined beauty of Moraea pallida. Each tub of greenery features a variety of species that attract different insects and living organisms, with specific scents and fragrances that will enrich the experience of the stand’s visitors. Greenery is not merely a decorative element; it encapsulates a message and becomes part of a broader narrative aimed at enhancing biological diversity. The relationship between sport and nature is one of the themes the project intends to highlight to raise awareness among visitors on how sport affects the natural environment and the importance of a design that combines sustainability and social impact.