AC Milan have announced the project for their new stadium, and it will be shared with city rivals Inter Milan. The project was designed by Populous, which is the same firm that designed the latest Tottenham stadium. The stadium should be completed by 2027 with a capacity of up to 65,000 fans.
Besides the Tottenham stadium, Populous has also been involved with the London 2012 Olympic Games, Wembley Stadium, Estadio Da Luz in Lisbon, New York Yankees Stadium, and more. Populous certainly knows a thing or two when it comes to stadium design. The reasons for the Milan teams picking the group are evident.
The project is coined “La Cattedrale,” or “The Cathedral.” A fitting name for Italian history.
“The new San Siro will be the most beautiful stadium in the world for its strong identity and recognizability. An attractive arena, accessible and sustainable for the city of Milan that will facilitate the growth of the clubs and their global competitiveness,” said Paolo Scaroni, the President of AC Milan.
These are hefty expectations. Populous’s past work shows that this is possible, however.
AC Milan Announce New Stadium Project
The Future
The Milan giants are clearly opting for a modern approach here. An enhanced stadium creates more revenue, which seems to be the end goal. Outside of that, “The Cathedral” holds other goals. First off, it presents a celebration of the city’s artistic and cultural heritage. That’s always important in Italy.
Besides that, the stadium also holds sustainability goals. First off, a large green area surrounds “The Cathedral.” In addition, the plan is for the entire area to be carbon-neutral and have cutting-edge technology when it comes to water and electricity usage. This is important for an area that will hold tens of thousands of people on a weekly basis. The designs of the stadium district also indicate that it will be pedestrian-only. This plays in line with the clubs’ sustainability approach.
The Historic San Siro
Saying goodbye to the iconic San Siro is not easy, however. Both Milan clubs have seen historic moments take place there, and hope to have even more before 2027. The San Siro remains one of the top stadiums in football, even though it opened nearly 100 years ago in 1926. It also holds a capacity of over 80,000, making it the largest stadium in Italy and one of the largest in Europe.
This decision comes at the right time for both Milan clubs. The two continue to show their re-emergence both domestically and in Europe. A new stadium only enhances their attractiveness to future players and fans.
The next phases of the project are upcoming in the next couple months. The final design for “The Cathedral” comes out in the final stages of 2022. The San Siro lives on for another few years. The Milan clubs now have their final chances of winning trophies in the historic stadium. This next step, however, presents a wonderful opportunity to catch up in the modernization rate of European football.
Main Photo
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