Lahti Stadium

The Lahti Stadium does not hide its history in concrete. The ground sits in a depression, hemmed in by pines and a forested hill, so the wind comes through the stands rather than around them.

The main stand is a long, flat roof supported by angled struts, casting a shadow over rows of blue and grey seats. A large black display screen sits low at pitch level, close to the running track. The track itself is red, encircling a green rectangle where FC Lahti once played before moving to Lahden Kisapuisto in 2011. The grass is natural, kept flat by the regular maintenance schedules that follow the biathlon races and the Salpausselkä Games.

The stadium wears its renovations. The concrete is stained where rain has run down the vertical faces of the tower block, and the seats were replaced in batches over the last three decades. A solar array is visible on the roofline, installed as part of the GreenCity initiative in 2015, but the structure above remains largely untouched since the 1998 overhaul for the World Games. The floodlights are tall, thin masts that stand out against the treeline, upgraded so broadcasts could go out from a venue that was originally intended for ski jumping and athletics.