FC Barcelona are planning to upgrade the existing Camp Nou and have tied up with Japanese studio Nikken Sekkei. The Catalans have been wanting to improve the stadium and create more shade but are finally getting on the right path to ensure it happens soon enough.
Joan Pascual and Ramon Ausio, two Catalans closely associated with Barcelona, are said to be the ones who negotiated and reached an agreement with Nikken Sekkei. The decision was approved and confirmed by the Espai jury late on Tuesday night.
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The 'El Espai Barça' project – one that's going to essentially handle the redevelopment and beautification of the Camp Nou – will take on an investment of €600 million which will be split into various projects and developments. The new Camp Nou will take almost €360 million, the new Palau Blaugrana will take a further 15% of the total €600 million. The new Mini Estadi will take a further 4% and the rest will go to helping and developing Les Corts, Campus Barça and some car parking spaces.
The money that will go into all this will be split into three tiers of inflow: €200 million will come from lending out the Camp Nou's stadium name – like the Emirates, the Etihad and so on. €200 million will be beared by the club's earning from the upcoming seasons while the last €200 million will be a loan that the club will have to pay back with or without profits over the coming years.
The Japanese firm consulted, Nikken Sekkei, have a 100-year history helping out the development and construction of multiple sporting wonders including the likes of the Saitama Super Arena, the Wakayama Big Whale, the Nigata Big Swan stadium and the Tokyo Dome.
Speaking about the confirmation of the development, a Barcelona statement read, "The Nikken Sekkei + Pascual i Ausió Arquitectes proposal stands out for being open, elegant, serene, timeless Mediterranean and democratic.
"It is also notable for its relationship with the environment, providing depth, creating shadows and making members the stars of the facade and of the open area at all times. The proposal presents a very subtle attempt to intervene in the environment to facilitate circulation and achieve diverse urban usage in the Barça Campus and guarantees a clear and safe construction.
"In short, it is a unique solution, reproducing the characteristic vision of the grandstand and canopy, from the inside out, a silent and powerful tribute to the stadium built by Francesc Mitjans in 1957."
