The Engineering of the Estádio do Dragão

The Estádio do Dragão is a flagship facility in the urban regeneration project of the Antas area in Porto, designed by architect Manuel Salgado. Opened in 2003, it has become a new urban centre, combining sports, leisure, recreation and commercial functions, including a clinic, health club and museum within a single multi-purpose building.

The stadium’s placement takes advantage of the sloping terrain, with the lower tier “excavated” into the plaza, significantly reducing the apparent mass and urban impact. The upper stands, designed as isolated structures, create openings at the north and south ends for city views, helping mitigate the visual impact.

Structurally, the project was executed by GEG, responsible for reinforced concrete structures and foundations, and GRID, which developed the roofing. The stadium holds 50,948 spectators, features a covered seating area of 32,400 m², and 1,177 parking spaces. The construction extensively used concrete, steel, prestressing, precast slabs and prefabricated seating elements to ensure robustness and functionality.

The Estádio do Dragão stands out as an architecture-integrated urban landmark that has contributed to the revitalisation of the Antas area and remains a key sports and architectural icon in Porto.