Populous has submitted a proposal for a new stadium for AC Milan and FC Internazionale Milano. The stadium, dubbed The Cathedral, will be the centerpiece of a new mixed-use masterplan development in the San Siro District, a sustainable 365-days-a-year destination.
The stadium’s design draws inspiration from the Duomo and the Galleria, two of Milano’s most iconic buildings, and the identities of both AC Milan and FC Internazionale will be incorporated into the fabric of the building. For Inter Milan, a coiled viper of blue light wraps itself around the stadium; for AC Milan, the vertical buttresses glow a deep red that emanates from within the building.
In an effort to bring fans closer to the action than ever before, The Cathedral design includes a bespoke seating bowl that will be the most intimate in Europe. A sunlit galleria will encircle the stadium and be enveloped by a glass facade to create space for food and beverage outlets inspired by Milano’s food culture, lounge areas, and bars.
Additionally, The Cathedral is designed to become the most sustainable stadium in Europe. The galleria will be naturally cooled and passively heated and the stadium’s roof will feature photovoltaic panels to generate electricity that is stored in battery banks for later use. Rainwater will be collected from the roof and reused and, thanks to the 22 acres of green space that will surround the stadium, water runoff is reduced and the heat island effect is counteracted.
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Dec 3, 2020
2020 Sports Facilities Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. sports facilities sector
Kimley-Horn, Mortenson, and Populous top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest sports facilities sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Building Team Awards | Oct 20, 2020
Winning with teamwork
The new home of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, Chase Center, is honored with a Gold Award in the 2020 Building Team Awards.
Arenas | Oct 20, 2020
Co-op Live will become the UK’s largest arena
Populous is designing the project.
Giants 400 | Aug 28, 2020
2020 Giants 400 Report: Ranking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms
The 2020 Giants 400 Report features more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Arenas | Jan 27, 2020
Sacred Heart University to build $60 million hockey arena
JLG and S/L/A/M Collaborative are designing the project.
GIANTS 19 PREMIUM | Dec 23, 2019
Top 65 Sports Facilities Engineering Firms for 2019
Walter P Moore, Kimley-Horn, ME Engineers, Thornton Tomasetti, and EXP head the rankings of the nation's largest sports facilities sector engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2019 Giants 300 Report.
GIANTS 19 PREMIUM | Dec 23, 2019
Top 90 Sports Facilities Architecture Firms for 2019
Populous, HKS, HOK, Gensler, and HNTB top the rankings of the nation's largest sports facilities sector architecture and architecture engineering (AE) firms, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2019 Giants 300 Report.
Arenas | Oct 10, 2019
SWA designs people-centric landscape and public realm for Chase Center
Chase Center is the new home of the Golden State Warriors.
Arenas | Jul 12, 2019
Arenas on campuses aren’t just for sports anymore
Several ARC-designed projects give the firm’s academic clients more event-hosting flexibility.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | May 15, 2018
Is this the most environmentally sustainable arena in the country?
The university arena was designed by Architectural Resources Cambridge.
