Welcome to the new San Siro, the oval-shaped stadium designed by star architects

From the Vertical Forest to the vertical stadium. That’s Milan for you: it reaches for the sky, it soars high. Even though San Siro – or the Meazza, if you prefer to call it that – will always remain in our hearts, we must acknowledge that this new San Siro has its own merits. In a Milan that is rising vertically, we needed a stadium on a par with the rest of the world; indeed, as its two founders say: ‘The best in the world’. After all, if they have demolished the old Wembley and completely renovated the Santiago Bernabéu and the Maracanã, we cannot remain stuck with a stadium that has only just turned 100. Milan and Inter—or rather, RedBird and Oaktree—acquired it specifically to raze it, drawn by a projected increase in revenue already estimated at over 120 million, stemming from the business opportunities the new stadium could bring.

Now the new stadium has a name, ‘Generali Stadium’, a design, a rendering, a three-dimensional model, and an explanation that goes beyond a mere statement of intent. To present it in Milan, on a night when security was tight around the Castello Sforzesco, Lord Norman Foster was also in attendance – a star architect who is now almost the same age as the old San Siro (91 years old), but who has left his mark on the new Wembley, as well as on the Reichstag in Berlin, the Millennium Bridge in London and Apple Park in Cupertino. Working alongside him was David Manica, another architectural star from the US who had previously collaborated with Foster on the new Wembley project. In short, it’s not as though they’d commissioned a Ferrari from someone who’d only ever designed mobile phones.

It will hold 71,500 spectators (over 100,000 in concert configuration), with over 13,000 premium seats, which will be sold at astronomical prices. It will be oval rather than rectangular, with stands inclined at 37 degrees, which should ensure the ‘Dortmund effect’, or indeed that of the old San Siro – in short, making the players feel the warmth of the supporters’ cheers. “We wanted to preserve the soul of San Siro, an iconic stadium,” said Lord Foster, recalling that he had first come to Milan 67 years ago, inspired by the city’s beauty – a city that has changed in the meantime but has not lost its connection to its traditions. Foster and Manica sought to preserve the essence of Milan and design a stadium that will be talked about all over the world. A more comfortable stadium, yet one where the steepness of the stands – particularly the two curved sections that will recreate the ‘wall’ effect – and the acoustics designed to contain the noise will ensure it does not risk becoming a mere theatre. Playing at home will still mean something. “It’s a stadium that bucks the trend; nowadays, everyone wants smaller venues.”

 Technologically advanced, with a rainwater harvesting system and a roof covered in solar panels that will contribute to its energy self-sufficiency, the Generali Stadium will have the playing pitch at a lower level than the road and will stand over 60 metres tall. The external framework, made of precast concrete, will be load-bearing – that is, it will support the entire structure – and will feature 80 diamond-shaped structures with transparent surfaces. From the outside, spectators will be visible as they make their way to the stands, and from the inside, the city will be on view (plans also include two rooftop bars offering views of the skyscrapers or the mountains). Naturally, by playing with the lighting, the stadium could be Rossoneri one day and Nerazzurri the next.

There is, however, one significant issue: the new stadium must be operational by 2031 in order to host the 2032 European Championships. Only after that will discussions begin regarding the demolition of the old San Siro. This situation is unlikely to be welcomed by residents of the surrounding area, particularly if they happen to support Juventus as well.