Page 15 - Landscape-Issue148

PROJECT

Aerial view of the Stadium of Life Kick4Life uses sport as a tool for social change

The structure has set new standards for sustainable construction and environmental responsibility

In Loco is a design, build and recently replaced in the form of a donation Additional facts and features
entrepreneurship fellowship programme, by SIS Pitches. • There is timber spectator seating along
giving unemployed youth the opportunity The existing 11-a-side pitch lacked grass two sides of the pitch, as well as coach and
to learn how to design and build through and irrigation, and there was an unbalanced team seating on either side of the halfway
a practical, hands-on experience which also height distribution throughout it; the entire line;
includes business training and mentoring. area was therefore stripped, and levelled • the stadium seats 1280 people in total;
The design was achieved through a with a fall in three directions – north, west • locally sourced sandstone from Lesotho
participatory design process with K4L and and south. Kou Construction created the adds a natural touch to the seating, and
all key stakeholders in the surrounding new base, thereafter handing over to DISA a canopy of thin wooden beams provides
community. for a final level check and the laying of shade;
Kikuyu grass. • the west and south stands have a
Pitch installation Resurfacing was undertaken by laying combined perimeter of 146 metres;
There are two pitches at the stadium: the rectangular grass patches on a 50mm layer • the perimeter fence is 160 metres, using
main 11-a-side grass pitch surrounded by of topsoil, then adding fertiliser and using 5864 treated Eucalyptus poles;
the timber stands, and a 5-a-side artificial a manual roller to reduce the width of the • a solid fence runs along the back of the
turf pitch. The latter’s artificial surface gaps between the grass patches. stadium in a zig-zag design, creating a play
was first installed in 2010 as part of the An underground sprinkler system of light and shade;
Lesotho Football for Hope Centre and has has been installed for irrigation, and is • a pergola creates a shaded area, and will
been used extensively since then. Having linked to an existing borehole. It can be serve as a structure onto which various
surpassed its 10 year lifespan, it was supplemented with mains water. plants can be trained over time;

Check us out www.salandscape.co.za Landscape SA • Issue 148 2025 13