THE ADVENTURES OF A STADIUM INWONDERLAND.THE CASE OF CONSTRUCTION OF NEW ZENITSTADIUM IN ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA

Olga ChepurnayaSt. Petersburg State University

FREE conference ‘From Habermas to Fanblogs: Exploring the PublicSphere of European Football’

Ankara, 25.04.2014

Main questions:What kinds of cultural and political ambitions are

behind St.Petersburg stadium project?What are city dwellers and fans expectations?Whose discourse represents this project?

Critical discourse analysis Public good, public sphere Iconic building – charisma + impact on local

society (culture, economics, politics) + impact onglobal perception of city

Resolution 28.12.2004 “On fulfilling the project for building a newfootball stadium in the western part of Krestovsky Island.”

28 January 2005 expert commission choose Kisho Kurokawa’s project“The Spaceship” to replace former Kirov’ stadium

Customer: St. Petersburg City Construction Committee.

Chief contractor: ZAO Engineering Corporation Transstroy (before“Avant” LLC, “Sintez SUI” LLC)

Main technical-economic indicators:

Stadium capacity — 62,000/68,000/70,000 spectators.

Building’ height — 56.6 m.

Number of floors — 7 /8

Weight of the sliding field — 11,400 tons.

lineaments: sliding roof and field, beer pipe-line

LOCATION

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL CONTEXT

Aria of leisure and sport practices 1924-1925 – construction of

stadium Petrovskii 1932-1950 – construction of Kirov

Stadium 2004 – construction of new

stadium December 2010 - decision on the

host country of the 2018FIFA WorldCup

Spring 2013 – discussions on “Fans’legislation”

MEANINGS OF A STADIUM

Idea of freedom of movement and action, Panoptic space – visibility, combines security and

controlMasculine space - provides the opportunity to express

oneself, to experience moments of emotional freedom Hierarchical social space organization - ‘invisible zones’

for the VIP visitors and journalists Transformation into public space Stadium itself becomes a public issue

MEDIA VS FANS

Media discourse – strong public, mainly represents hegemonicdiscourse

Fans – weak public, mainly present in internet & publicspaces, emotional expressions & mockery

Maine issues:

Budget

Deadline

Comfort & Security

Design and construction process

BUDGET

Growingconstantly. From$250 millions to 1,4milliard (6,6 - 43milliards of rubbles )

Rumors about itsstructure – officiallythe source ismunicipal budget,but there aremoney fromGasProm

Corruption

Money laundry

"After a redesign the city has countedthe definitive budget, the cost hasincreased on 8,4 milliard rubles. About amillion was spend for redesign. As a resulta total cost now makes 33 milliard rubles."Vice-gubernator Roman Filimonov,January 2011

This stadium will be beautiful and will bethe pride of St. Petersburg! But so far thisstadium is a great SHAME of our city,since2006 we are fed only by promises,how much money has been stolen at thisconstruction site? How can you treat likethis many millions of loyal fans ... just ashame, shame, overwhelmed withemotion about it! Feeling hurt for all this”Forum FC "Zenit", 22.11.2011

DEADLINE July, 2010 president of FC Zenit: «In

the beginning of August finaldesign documents will be ready,that will allow to restart works. Weplan that stadium accomplishingwill occur in 2011»

“It would be desirable to knowstages of building of stadium andscoring consecutive increase incost of "long-term construction".Then the people will know, andbuilding cost in St.-Petersburg canget in "The Guinness Book". “(fan’scomment, 2012)

Is postponingconstantly:

2008, 2009, 2010,2012, … 2017 Lack of

transparencyof constructionprocess

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION “It will finally looks like a gear, not

Spaceship! They changedalready roof design and took offthe idea of beer pipe-line…”(fan’s comment)

“When I saw Kurokawa’ project, Inew it can’t be realized. All theoriginal staff in that were not forour city. It was for any expert.And now project is changing. Itwill be ok by the end, but it willbe standard stadium, nothingspecial in architectural design.N. Yavein 20.04.2011

Architecturaldesign waschanged fewtimes

Construction wasstopped severaltimes

FANS’ FEARS AND EXPECTATIONS

The stadium will beugly andinconvenientbecause of severalchanges inarchitectural design

Tickets for stadiumwill considerably risein price

The stadium won't becompleted in time or won'tbe completed at all

PROTESTS April 2012 - in front of the Committee for the

Construction a group of fans "sawed“ improvisedstadium‘ model

Direct address to the governor, singing chants in hispresence: "Governor - cheapskate", "Complete thestadium, sell your cottage!" (during the match Zenit -Kuban, October 2012

PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Government – moderate affords to support project inmass media

Experts – slight criticism is increasing Zenit fans – enthusiasm - dissatisfaction – disturbance –

new expectationsCity dwellers - slight criticism (loss of historical building,

large budget) - disturbanceWhose discourse represents this project? The discourse of city authorities

THANK YOU