Following the opening keynote of Ali bin Nasser al-Khalifa (CEO of Astad Project Management), Yaser Meral (civil engineer and chairman at Spor Sanayi, Turkey), gave his take on the future of stadium design.

Referring to Spor Sanayi’s proposed training facility for World Cup 2022, Meral stressed that flexible designs are they key to long-lasting stadiums.

“Because this building is so modular and portable, it can be used for a great variety of purposes after the event, from school sports to ecological farming houses. The design of our FIFA World Cup structure reflects Spor Sanayi’s mentality of ensuring the highest functionality,” Meral said.

Tariq al-Abdulla, general manager of the Qatar Olympic Academy and head of technical affairs at the Qatar Olympic Committee, will deliver today’s keynote speech on the Qatar Olympic Academy’s Sport Venue Management Programme.

Commenting yesterday on the talent that a sustainable stadium requires, al-Abdulla said: “Qatar is home to 62 different venues and organises about 80 local, regional and international competitions every year. It is important that we prepare vendor managers for the future, and engage with the latest technologies.”

Sander van Stiphout, director of Amsterdam ArenA, kept his finger on proper planning and collaboration throughout a presentation entitled, “Preparing for legacy and for a major tournament.”

Not only should architects meet the expectations of governing bodies, he said, but the resulting venue must persist through repurposing and redesign for future generations of sports fans.

Offering a budgetary and market perspective, alkhaliji Commercial Bank’s Nermine Nassif Girgis Ishak delivered an overview of the projects market in Qatar, and sketched out the investment opportunities available to foreign and local players in Qatar.

Jon Sellins, head of business development at Wembley Stadium, got at sustainability with a case study from his work on Wembley Stadium. Using the Champions League Final 2013 as a prime example, Sellins illustrated best practices in stadium design, development and operation.

Mark Rosetti, president of Rosetti, and Mark Fenwick of RFA Fenwick Iribarren Architects opened the afternoon sessions with examples of stadiums that are woven into the communities in which they stand. Through attention to local values and culture, stadiums can mature into treasured landmarks well after the mega-event has taken place, they said.

Event sponsors Honeywell, Tiger Steel Engineering and Grundfos used lectures and case studies to illustrate the role that solutions providers can play in supporting stadiums, as well.

The first day closed out with a panel discussion of world-class architects. Moderated by Henk Markerink, CEO of Amsterdam ArenA, the panel explored the latest trends in stadium design and what can be expected of the next generation of sporting infrastructure.

Ooredoo, the official telecom sponsor of the World Stadium Congress, will deliver the first presentation today after al-Abdulla’s keynote address. Wael Doukmak, director of ICTE business development, will share Ooredoo’s insight as a master of systems integration, touching on issues of revenue, customer experience and stakeholders.