A branching timber structure wraps the stadium like a monumental forest skeleton, while the broad roof gently folds above the compact seating bowl. A raised stone podium leads visitors directly to the main concourse, and the unified north stand remains integrated within the continuous spectator ring. In the survey area, an inhabited park layer is draped across the entire site: athletics and football venues are scooped from the topography, sports halls are inserted beneath green roofs, and Divka Budaka becomes a shallow tree-lined canyon.

For the second round, the jury established additional evaluation criteria. These included the urban concept, the quality and feasibility of the proposal, the integration of buildings and public spaces, and the organisational and formal qualities of the individual buildings, with particular emphasis on the stadium proposal.

Generic or overly expressive structures that strongly defined the stadium’s identity but presented significant challenges in terms of construction or cost were considered less appropriate to the programme and context. The same applied to high-maintenance materials and an excessive reliance on vegetation within the stadium.

The possibility of phased construction was also an important criterion for elimination, while the jury continued to recognise the architectural quality of the programme’s articulation.