INCREDIBLE new plans to re-build one of the US' most iconic stadiums have been unveiled - but the beloved old ground will need to go first. The RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. was once host to the biggest sports events on the planet, including the soccer World Cup and Olympic Games. A Boston architecture firm, KaTO Architecture, has revealed what their new structure would look like, which would be made of mass timber.

This ambitious design would be the first structure of its kind to be built out of wood. Amazing images show the new-and-improved RFK Stadium site, with massive lights taking up the skyline, and surrounding housing adding dimension to an already imposing development. Lead architect Kyle Murphy said: "We don't have a dedicated national venue here and that would be the ideal place to do that - when you think about Wembley Stadium in England, Mexico has Estadio Azteca.

"We've been trying to pitch this as something that could be about national pride beyond just being of value to a specific team or certain city.". The plan lays out a football stadium that would seat 70,000 people with a transparent dome on the top of it. The west-facing window, in particular, is designed to provide a direct line of sight to the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument, which is only two miles away.

The seating bowl inside the stadium is divided into multiple levels, with the stands behind the end zones intentionally lower. This is done to make way for two massive windows offering panoramic views of the surroundings. This is across 177 acres of land, with a cluster of new waterfront residences and a pedestrian pathway on the Anacostia River also included in the proposal. It's been reported that around 2,000 housing units and new retail and public spaces would be built adjacent to the stadium.

A spokesperson for Mayor Muriel Bowser commented: "It is a good day for D.C. when we finally have control of our own destiny at the RFK campus. "We are ready and optimistic about unlocking the full potential of this space, and with more than 170 acres of land we can do it all – deliver housing, economic opportunity, green space, recreation, sports, and more.". However, the road to realizing this bold vision is long, and requires lots of things to go in KaTO's favor.

Before the project can be started, the old RFK Stadium, which has been abandoned for years, will have to be demolished. This relies on the approval of the city council and the issue of public funding to finance the building. Talks are already underway between the Washington Commanders and Disctrif Officials to see if they can agree on what to do with the space. There has been the suggestion that the redevelopment could become the new home for the Commanders franchise.

An agreement will have to be reached by April, and it is currently understood that the Commanders are undecided about whether to occupy the area. The RFK Stadium was built by the Anacostia River and next to the DC Armory in 1961. It was originally known as the District of Columbia Stadium and would be renamed a few years later to honor US senator and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy after his assassination.

Its construction followed decade-long efforts to build an arena on US soil with facilities to accommodate Olympic competitions. The stadium was one of the first ones to employ the circular "cookie-cutter" design, allowing it to host both baseball and football games. In the 1990s, the 56,000-seater became a major site for boxing as well as domestic and international soccer. Interestingly, the arena was also where a couple of soccer legends debuted for their new clubs.