ARENA MILANO, situata nel quartiere Milano Santa Giulia progettata da David Chipperfield Architects

The ARENA MILANO, located in the Santa Giulia district of Milan, will be the largest indoor arena in Italy, with a modular capacity of up to 16,000 seats. The building was designed as a multipurpose venue for live entertainment and major sports events. 
Designed by David Chipperfield Architects (Architecture) in collaboration with ARUP (Architecture and Engineering), the arena has an elliptical shape with three rings of increasing heights and projections, elevated above a raised podium that occupies almost the entire plot. The façade consists of anodised aluminium tubes that reflect light during the day, interspersed with LED strips that light up at night to create light effects and multimedia content, and strips of transparent glass. The interior comprises two levels of seating, a level with a lounge and Sky Box, and large halls that provide access to all services and catering areas. The area includes an outdoor space of almost 12,000 m² for squares and outdoor events and a multi-storey car park with 2,750 spaces, designed to allow possible future conversion to different uses.

The challenge

As part of the wider urban regeneration project in Milan's Santa Giulia district, the arena was designed according to the principles of circular economy and climate resilience, taking into account all the parameters necessary to achieve LEED certification, with the aim of reducing emissions and optimising energy consumption, also thanks to the use of renewable energy.

The arena and its plant systems have been designed to ensure optimal thermo-hygrometric, acoustic and lighting conditions and high air quality inside the premises.

The arena was conceived from the outset as a multi-purpose facility suitable for hosting live entertainment and major sporting events, so particular attention was paid to noise control in terms of building technology.

The solution

Arena Milano Santa Giulia Arena Milano Santa Giulia

Results

The integration of architecture, plant engineering and sustainability strategies has enabled the ARENA MILANO to respond effectively to the design challenges identified. 

The building ensures high levels of comfort and air quality for spectators and artists, while guaranteeing minimum noise levels without compromising the efficiency of the HVAC systems.

The design and sizing of the systems have made it possible to comply with LEED certification requirements, optimising energy consumption and reducing CO₂ emissions, while the integration of renewable sources, such as photovoltaic roofing, contributes to the overall sustainability of the building.

The modular and flexible structure of the arena can be reconfigured to host sporting events, concerts and live shows, thus supporting long-term multi-purpose use. In addition, the combination of public spaces, car parks and integrated infrastructure contributes to the urban regeneration of Milan's Santa Giulia district, while the design choices take into account the possible future reuse of the building.

Key players

  • Contractor: CTS Eventim AG & Co. KGaA
  • Design: David Chipperfield Architects and Arup
  • Installation: Società cooperativa Arena Scarl (Gianni Benvenuto + Sinelec + Milani)

Clivet units installed:

  • 2 air-cooled water chillers for outdoor installation WDAT-iK4 SCREWLine4-i
  • 5 air-cooled reversible heat pumps for outdoor installation WSAN-YSC4 
  • 5 outdoor VRF Full DC Inverter heat pump units CVT8-X
  • 35 VRF indoor units
  • Wired VRF controls and centralised touch screen control