In hopes of securing the UEFA (European Union of Football Associations) EURO 2016 bid for Bursa, Turkey, the Turkey Football Federation commissioned German stadium design firm stadiumconcept to design a sparkling new stadium with a capacity of 33,000.

Unfortunately for everyone involved in the project, France was chosen to host the UEFA EURO 2016. But the stadium still stands as a possible new icon for this ancient, Islamic city.

Stadiumconcept, in cooperation with the structural engineer firm schlaich bergermann and partners, designed for Bursa the Hexagon Park Stadium, which, in addition to seating tens of thousands of crazed fans, would feature cafes, eateries, concerts and social events. Located minutes from Bursa’s downtown and situated in a cultural center of the city, the stadium sought to serve as a new icon for the city.

Its design as a whole is unobtrusive, blending with the surrounding environment and hearkening to its city’s architectural roots when possible. The stadium is situated on a slope, meaning the lower tier is embedded in the landscape. Surrounded by trees, the stadium, though massive, is less visually obtrusive than it could be.

Inside, the roof gives a soft, natural glow through the semi-transulcent roof, which is a quilt of hexagons. The shapes fit with the area’s traditional Islamic architecture, and reference directly the hexagonal mosaics found in Bursa’s green mosque.

Though massive, the stadium would be sustainable, with long-life, low-energy production construction materials like steel, glass and wood; the capturing and reuse of gray water; the use of local gas cogeneration; and solar panels on the roof, to name some initiatives. The architects claimed such efficiency would not only make the stadium sufficient, but provide power to the surrounding city as well.