Caja Mágica - The latest generation of sports stadiums

French architect Dominique Perrault designed a sports and entertainment complex that was built to the south of Madrid and opened to the public on 2 May 2009. Its futuristic and dominant character imposes and polarises visitors. Its name is Caja Mágica.

Around eight hectares of land were used to erect a 35 m high, multi-storey cube with three main arenas: the "Manolo Santana" stadium with a capacity of 12,500, the "Arantxa Sanchez Vicario" stadium with a capacity of 3,500 and the "Stadion 3" with a capacity of 2,500. Each of these stadiums boasts a hydraulic roof that can be individually adjusted sideways or opened up at various angles so that the magic box always shows a different side of its character.

To this end, durlum GmbH provided a special, corrosion-resistant metal ceiling retaining the natural surface character of the galvanised steel so that the combination of steel, concrete and glass contributes to the Caja Mágica's unique image.

The complex also has another 11 outdoor and 16 indoor courts, a large VIP area, an artificial lake, and a two-storey media centre. Caja Mágica is the flagship of Madrid's application for the summer Olympic Games to be held in 2016.