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Stadium   Select area:   Central America   Middle East   North
America   South America Oita 'Big Eye' Stadium  Oita Stadium was
chosen as an arena for the World Cup Games in 2002. It is
nicknamed "Big Eye" as the stadium's roof opening looks like a
human eye.  To enhance the feeling of being part of the soccer
arena, the spectator seating was placed right up to the edge of
the field. This type of feature would normally be inconvenient
for track events, but through a retractable seating system the
problem was resolved.  Through the gentle curves of the
spherical design, the stadium matches well with the surroundings
in the background. The choice of a sphere is naturally an
expression of abstract symbolism, but the shape actually enables
the retractable portion to move along its surface. The use of
ultra-modern teflon membrane panels with 25% light-permeablity
removes the need for artificial lighting during daylight hours.
In order for the field to