Soccer City is shaping up to be a unique venue, designed to look like an African pot being warmed by flames from a pit of fire.

IMAGINE sitting with thousands of people in a huge calabash on a pedestal, a roaring fire emitting bright flames licking the base of the pot.

Soccer City seating under construction

Nestled at the base of two huge mine dumps on the edge of one of South Africa's most famous townships, Soweto, the "jewel in the crown" of the 10 stadiums that will host the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, as Soccer City is fondly referred to, is by no means an ordinary football stadium.

Architecturally, it resembles a calabash on a raised podium, on top of a "pit of fire". Thus the stadium sits in a depression, the "pit of fire", as if it were naturally being heated by the fire.

The pit of fire demarcates the security and turnstile barrier that separates the outer areas and the secure inner areas of the stadium.

The calabash, or African pot, design will certainly grip the imagination of most people when they enter the stadium, especially at night. This design, selected from a list of concept designs including mine dumps; a kgotla, a meeting place defined symbolically by a tree; a map of Africa; and a protea, was thought to be the most recognisable object to symbolise what would automatically be associated with the African continent.

A calabash in African society has many uses: it is used to clean rice in West Africa, carry water in most parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, as a food container in most parts of the continent and is used by some musicians in making the kora, a musical instrument.

But the most common use of a calabash, especially in the southern parts of the continent, is to store or drink home-brewed beer or water. It is during big cultural ceremonies that one finds a calabash of beer in the middle of a circle of men, occasionally it is passed around to quench parched throats.

In many African homes, a guest is welcomed by being offered a full calabash of cool beer or water.

It is no wonder the calabash, with its multiple cultural uses, has been termed "the melting pot of African cultures". This melting pot has been taken, given a modern tweak and will host the opening ceremony, and the opening and final matches of the first World Cup to be staged on African soil.

Facade
The stadium's façade is an attractive chequer of eight colours and textures that refer to the shades and textures of the calabash. The façade is dotted with open or glazed panels that create a pattern at night when the stadium is lit.

It is also articulated by 10 vertical slots which are aligned geographically with the nine other 2010 World Cup stadiums, as well as the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany, venue of the last World Cup, in 2006.

These slots represent the road to the final; it is hoped that after the tournament, the scores of each game at each venue will be placed in pre-cast concrete panels on the podium, so providing a rich history of the World Cup and all its scores.

Interestingly, the designers took account of Johannesburg's history. The upper roof is covered by a PTFE membrane in a colour similar to the adjacent mine dumps, remnants of the city's mining past.

With the pitch newly laid, the stadium is only weeks away from being completed. The current seating capacity of 87 792 is in place and the orange hue of the seats, just like the residents of this vibrant city, are friendly to the eye.

The stadium will not only host football matches but rugby as well. Because of its strategic location - only 10 kilometres from the city centre and close to two major highways, the Soweto Highway and the N1 Highway - it is ideal for big musical events as well.

After three years of construction, Soccer City will be ready to launch in February 2010 for test matches, according to Christa Venter, the director: operations 2010 in the City of Johannesburg.

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• Joburg is 'Soccer City'
• 2010 Stadiums