Maracanã Stadium, officially named Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, is a 105 m by 68 m (344 ft by 223 ft) internationally-renowned soccer stadium located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Originally named after the nearby Rio Maracanã (Maracanã River) and the indigenous Tupi-Guarani word for "green bird," the iconic stadium has become just as symbolic of Brazilian culture as its namesake.
Maracanã Stadium was built in 1950 to commemorate the country's hosting of the 1950 soccer games. Nine of Brazil's leading architects designed the stadium to impress on a global scale, with intentions to create the world's largest soccer stadium. Given its location in Brazil's most internationally beloved city and the national soccer team's reputation as the most successful team in the history of soccer tournaments, the site has become an instant favorite among soccer enthusiasts and subsequently a must-see location for tourists worldwide.
Seating 78,838 people, the Maracanã regularly holds matches between Rio de Janeiro's main soccer clubs: Botafogo, Fluminense, Flamengo, and Vasco da Gama. Used by the Pope to perform masses when visiting Brazil, the multi-purpose stadium also functions as a massive performance arena. Memorable performances by celebrated musicians such as Frank Sinatra and Madonna in addition to the Guinness World Record-breaking concerts of Tina Turner and Paul McCartney have taken place at the Maracanã. The arena is a popular leg on many musical artists' tours and is the site of acclaimed music festival Rock in Rio.
In 2010, the State of Rio de Janeiro approved reconstruction of the Maracanã in preparation for the 2014 soccer games, 2016 Summer Olympics, and 2016 Paralympics. Wishing to renovate the structure to include all the accoutrements necessary for a world-class soccer stadium, including a superior LED lighting solution that fits within television's high-quality HDTV, 3D and slow motion replay lighting requirements, the Brazilian government consulted Sao Paulo-based architectural firm Mingrone Iluminação. Mingrone Iluminação, whose expertise has played an essential role in prominent Brazilian architectural lighting projects such as the Sao Paulo Pinacoteca and subway stations, was tasked with creating the lighting design for the stadium's façade and interior. Seeking polychromatic luminaires capable of delivering quality, high-performance illumination that would astonish spectators, performers and athletes across the globe, Mingrone Iluminação determined that luminaires from Color Kinetics were the finest option for realizing the Brazilian government's vision.
More than 20,000 ColorReach Powercore gen2, ColorReach Compact Powercore (both now specified with
ReachElite) and Vaya Linear luminaires were fitted into solar panels in the arena's compression ring, VIP suites, bleachers and parking lot. 480 RGB LED lighting projectors with a high luminous flux and useful life of over 70,000 hours were installed on the renowned stadium's roof. Luminaires were added to press conference areas, hospitality rooms, dressing rooms and the players' tunnel to ensure a comprehensive, radiant glow throughout the Maracanã that improves lighting for athletes and other associates within the structure. The extended useful life of all the luminaires contributes to lower maintenance costs for the Brazilian government, demonstrating the Maracanã's commitment to sustainability.
Endless color variations are made possible by the color-changing capabilities of the LED lighting from Color Kinetics, enabling the Maracanã to alter the color of its stadium lights in accordance with national events or match-related purposes, such as adjusting the hue of its luminaires to reflect the precise colors of each club playing at the stadium.
Finalized in 2013, the installation enraptured the attentions of more than three billion spectators around the globe a year later during the 2014 tournament. Attracting tourists, energizing fans and boosting player morale, the Maracanã's dynamic LED luminaires unveil a host of possibilities for using light to enhance the experience of watching a match, whether live or digitally. Most importantly, the upgraded LED lighting captures the fast-paced and emotional spirit of soccer, reflecting the Maracanã's status as a cherished cultural monument for Brazilians and a symbol of O Jogo Bonito for soccer fans worldwide.
