CAPE TOWN STADIUM
CAPE TOWN STADIUM
STADIUM
Paragon Architects was part of the POINT Architects & Urban Designers joint venture, responsible for the Cape Town Stadium, the signature venue built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Within the consortium, Paragon led the design and documentation of the stadium’s 38,000 m² cable-supported glass roof—at the time, the largest installation of its kind worldwide.
The roof assembles almost 9,000 individual glass panels, together weighing 4,700 tonnes, suspended from 72 high-tension radial cables. Beneath the glazing, a translucent ETFE membrane accommodates up to 2 m of vertical movement under wind loading and more than 1 m of thermal expansion, underscoring the project team’s commitment to innovation, precision engineering, and rigorous detailing.
Envisioned as the stadium’s “fifth façade”, the roof mediates between the arena and its dramatic setting between Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean. By day, the glass appears light and diaphanous; after dark, integrated lighting turns the structure into a softly glowing civic beacon visible across the city.
The project has received numerous honours, among them awards from the South African Institute of Steel Construction and the German Steel Building Association, confirming its place as a benchmark for large-scale, high-performance stadium architecture and a testament to Paragon Architects’ capability on the global stage.
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Size: 10,400 m²
Completion Year: 2009
Sector: Stadium