By Yolande Hayward

The sea of 40 000-plus orange and red seats at the new Nelson Mandela Bay soccer stadium adds a splash of colour to the concrete structure, but the colour scheme has more to do with psychology than aesthetics.

During a media tour in and around the stadium in North End last week, project manager Gerrie Albertyn pointed out that the plastic seats were not only various shades of orange and red, but that the layout of the seats followed no discernable pattern – and for good reason.

“Where there is a pattern, it was not intended,” Albertyn said.

He explained that the chosen colours would create the impression of a full stadium – even if this was not the case.

“If a camera pans over the stadium, the colours create the feeling that there are people in all the seats, even if there are empty ones.”

The second reason for the choice of colour was an altogether more practical one.

Albertyn explained that somewhere along the line the seats would have to be replaced due to wear and tear, but by that time the sun would have taken its toll and faded the colours.

Because the seats are various shades of orange and red and follow no particular colour, replacing a tatty one with a new non-faded one will not be a problem.

“It won‘t stick out like a sore thumb and will blend in with the rest.”

For the 2010 World Cup 48 000 of these colourful seats will be installed. After the event 4 000 will be removed.

Source: Weekend Post