populous' carbon neutral cathedral stadium to replace milan's san siro

A NEW HOME FOR AC AND INTER MILAN

after years of debate and discussions, italian football teams AC milan and internazionale milan have decided on a new home. populous’ cathedral stadium has been selected to replace the city’s iconic san siro over the other final proposal by mancia/sportium. the carbon neutral design encompasses a new sport and leisure district over 110,000 sqm of green space, redeveloping the entire surrounding neighborhood.

all images courtesy of populous

the decision follows the announcement of the comune di milano for a reconfiguration of the san siro neighborhood. populous’ design moves parking underground to create 110,000 sqm of green space dedicated to sport and leisure activities, all of which will be free-of-charge or affiliated with the city of milan. the architectural firm is responsible for some of the world’s newest and most famous sporting arenas, including the london 2012 olympic games, tottenham hotspur stadium in london, and the climate pledge arena in seattle as the first-ever net zero carbon arena in the world.

POPULOUS designs a football cathedral in milan

replacing the iconic san siro completed in 1926, the populous cathedral stadium needed a design to fit the same stature in milan. it is a celebration of the artistic and cultural heritage of the city. the form is inspired by two of milan’s most recognizable pieces of architecture: the duomo di milano and the galleria vittoria emanuele. the hope is the unique stadium will stand out from any other.

the stadium aims to be world leading, just like the football teams whose home this will be. carbon neutrality and LEED certification will be achieved through the use of the most innovative materials as well as cutting-edge technologies in water and electricity usage and noise control. inside, the user experience adds to its uniqueness. accessibility will be outstanding in modern demands and unprecedented safety, comfort as well as sightlines to the pitch will be offered. the final objectives and development process will be presented at a later stage in 2022.

‘the new milano stadium project represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to write a defining chapter in the storied history of AC milan and FC internazionale milano. the cathedral will create a new quality of experience for the clubs’ supporters and future generations of supporters, offering world-class amenities befitting of milano, with
sustainability at the very heart of the design,‘ concludes silvia prandelli, principal, populous italia.

project info:

architectural firm: populous

stadium: the cathedral

teams: AC milan and internazionale milan

location: milan, italy

finalized plans: 2022