PGE Arena in Gdansk

Architect: Rhode Kellermann Wawrowsky Architektur + Städtebau

The specs: The venue seats 42,000 sports fans.

Design details: The showstopper is the shell. It’s made from 45,000 square metres of Makrolon, a high-tech polycarbonate used in sports equipment, needleless syringes and car headlights. Manufactured by Bayer Sheet Europe, the facade panels have been dyed in six tints of amber that provide a gradient illumination, earning the arena the title “Gold of the Baltic Sea.” This marks the first time Makrolon has been used for both the roof and facade of a structure.

Interesting fact: Respecting the cultural importance of the city’s shipbuilding industry, the arena’s filigree structure recalls the ribs and planking of a ship’s hull.

Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw

Architect: JSK Architekten

The specs: The 164,152-square-metre stadium will accommodate 40,000 fans.

Design details: Resembling a traditional Chinese lantern, the stadium is cloaked in a PTFE Teflon fibre net stretched over three steel rings and concrete pillars. Beneath are six levels that include the usual amenities, such as bars, restaurants, VIP/business areas and a shop, as well as a swimming pool and a casino. The stadium is also one of seven heated by Rehau – a German-engineered radiant system.

Interesting fact: The stadium’s construction called for the development of a new tram stop and two-way line.