BBVA Stadium

50,000 m2 of Green Infrastructure

What used to be a sanitary landfill that received the municipal garbage along the La Silla River, has become the first LEED-certified stadium in Mexico and Latin America. With more than 1300 m2 of rain gardens that filter the rainwater on site and 3.7 hectares of parking spaces planted with grass, the grounds of the Stadium are transformed into an impressive urban forest and public park, planted with more than a thousand native trees of large size extending its influence and design towards a linear park of more than 20 km along the La Silla river, the stadium project will regenerate and clean the river margins, damaged by the hurricanes, connecting the various low income habitated areas (some slums) and other public parks in the area. This now has become the largest metropolitan public park in Monterrey Metro area.

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Located between La Sierra Madre and the last flowing river in Monterrey. The landscape project involved the design of the master plan, hardscape and soft scape, including the main concourse of the stadium leading to the stadium doors. All the parking spaces are planted with lawn over grass pave reinforced system, leading storm water from the concrete streets into the inter-connected rain gardens.

The design achieves a piece of “green infrastructure”, a “kidney” that captures and filters most of the rainwater on the site, treating and absorbing it or returning it to the river already clean. The formal organization of the parking lot is inspired by the transitional ecosystem between mountain and river, directing prevailing winds to the building and rainwater to the rain gardens.

Keywords

Innovation / Water Efficiency / Sustainable / Sociability

Awards

Leed Certificate Platinum

Scope

Urban Design / Landscape Architecture

Location

Guadalupe, Nuevo León, MX

Details

Architecture: Populous
Size: 3.7 hectares
Year: 2015

Innovative elements in the landscape

Rain Gardens & Drainage

Interconnected Systems

It uses prefabricated systems of “rain gardens” vegetated and tree trenches, armed with “designed” soils and interconnected drainage system.

Grass Pave System

Permeable Parking

Massive use of the “grass pave” system for a total ###m2 of permeable parking spaces that minimizes the heat island effect

Native Forest & CO2

Environmental Impact

Planted 1,162 native trees from 3 to 10” that cause 64,155 m2 of shade over the total surface, and process 25,564 kg of Carbon Dioxide per year.

Drip irrigation system

High efficiency

High-efficiency drip irrigation system that uses 100% treated sewage from the city's municipal network and use of native species with low water consumption and maintenance

Urban Furniture

Enhancing User Experience

The bollards and modular concrete benches were produced in a controlled plant environment, where precision and consistency were fundamental. Through the use of automated fabrication processes, variations in color, texture, and structural performance were minimized, ensuring uniformity across all elements. This approach guaranteed durability and resistance, essential for high-traffic public environments such as the stadium surroundings.

Process

The stadium's landscape process began with a deep environmental analysis of the La Silla River basin. The challenge was to transform a former landfill into a high-performance ecosystem. This involved a multidisciplinary team of biologists and urban designers working together to ensure that every square meter of the project contributed to local biodiversity.

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The implementation phase focused on "Green Infrastructure" solutions. We integrated prefabricated rain garden systems and tree trenches that utilize specially designed soils to filter storm water before it returns to the river. This "urban kidney" approach allows the site to breathe and manage water naturally, even during Monterrey's intense hurricane seasons.

Beyond the technical aspects, the process was also a social one. The project connects low-income areas through a 20 km linear park, cleaning river margins and creating a safe, shaded pedestrian realm. Today, the process continues through constant monitoring of the 1,162 native trees, ensuring the stadium remains a sustainable lung for the metropolitan area.