Architecture studio Populous has revealed its plans to renovate Lake Como‘s Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium and regenerate the surrounding lakeside urban landscape.
The stadium, which originally opened in 1927 and is home to top tier football club Como 1907, will be upgraded into a multifunctional venue for sports and other events.
Collaborating with the Municipality of Como, Populous hopes to revitalise the wider lakeside area of Como with the renovation.
Stadium revamp the “missing piece” of Lake Como regeneration
“The redevelopment of the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium should be seen as the missing piece in the complete revitalisation of the lakeside area of the city of Como,” Populous Italia senior principal Silvia Prandelli told Dezeen.
“The project aims to be a powerful driver of renewal for all the surrounding open spaces,” she continued.
“The stadium will become a more modern, multifunctional, efficient facility capable of hosting large, internationally significant events.”
Although the design has not been finalised, renders unveiled at the press conference show a stadium with four regular stands sheltered by roofs. The lakeside stand features a stepped roof overlooking Lake Como.
Populous aims to better connect the stadium to Como city centre while celebrating its location on the edge of Lake Como, surrounded by historic buildings.
The studio plans to improve pedestrian and cycling routes around the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium and transform it into a venue that can be used by the local community year-round.
Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium to be “a new strategic hub for Como”
“Its unique panoramic location by the lake, nestled between the gardens of the Tempio Voltiano and near historic buildings, is significant,” said Prandelli. “It represents a great example of the integration between sports architecture and the urban context.”
“However, the stadium is currently perceived as somewhat isolated and peripheral in relation to the city centre,” she added.
“The redevelopment project, which is effectively an urban regeneration project, will reconnect the stadium to the city’s fabric, turning the area into a new strategic hub for Como while respecting its social, environmental and landscape characteristics.”
According to Prandelli, sustainable design will play a key part in the stadium renovation.
“Como 1907, the promoter of the project, aims to create a modern and efficient sports facility designed to meet the highest environmental and energy sustainability standards,” Prandelli said.
“The work will use eco-friendly materials and incorporate the best innovative solutions into the existing structure.”
Populous is currently working on numerous sporting venues around the world, including a 92,000-seat stadium in Riyadh and a 47,000-seat stadium in Al Khobar that are set to host games during the 2034 FIFA World Cup, an event that has recently been criticised for human rights violations.
The images are courtesy of Populous.
