Its design does not involve any historical or traditional
references, as the idea was to create a new, contemporary image with
glass façades and an aesthetic roof supported by elegant stands. The
existing athletics track has been preserved for possible use as a
multi-purpose facility in the future. The stadium was designed by the
Portuguese architectural firm Plarq in association with KSS Design
Group of London. The Plarq team are led by the architects António
Monteiro and Pedro Santos
The stadium has 30,210 seats, two-thirds of which are covered. The
complex boasts a large press centre, a bar, kitchens, and a restaurant
with a panoramic view of the pitch. The project of the stadium took
advantage of old seats: of close to 15,000 (all seated), involved the
planned remodelling of the tier which extends around the entire
perimeter of the previous stands, and a second tier above that, in the
form of a "U", opening onto the slopes of the city at the North end.