Milano-Cortina 2026: David Chipperfield’s Arena Santa Giulia

Arena Santa Giulia by David Chipperfield Architects in Milan – Photo by Noshe.

Architecture. Only two new sports venues will rise for the Milano-Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Games. As in Paris, the approach favours existing infrastructure, adaptive reuse, and temporary structures to reduce environmental impact. Arena Santa Giulia, designed by David Chipperfield Architects with Arup, is one of these additions. The studio has just shared the first images. The new venue, accommodating 16,000 spectators, will host the hockey tournaments and was conceived “to be a major contribution to the public infrastructure of the city, also after the Games,” as David Chipperfield notes. After the event, it will host sports fixtures, concerts, and cultural programmes.

RELATED STORIES: Read more about Milano-Cortina 2026 on Archipanic.

Photo by Noshe.

“The form of the building is rooted in Milan’s rich cultural heritage. It echoes the elliptical form of the city’s former Roman amphitheatre, giving a contemporary expression to a historic archetype and creating a new place for gathering and collective entertainment.” This idea sits at the heart of the project, which aims to bridge past and future with a clear, confident architectural gesture.

Photo by Noshe.

The building is at the core of a wider masterplan by Foster+Partners for the new Santa Giulia district in Milan’s southeast, reinforcing its role as a long-term civic asset. Visitors arrive via a broad flight of steps leading to a raised podium that spans almost the entire site. The platform holds a 10,000-square-metre piazza designed for outdoor events.

Photo by Noshe.

Above this monolithic base, three gently floating rings rise in height and wrap the arena in a dynamic, sculptural form. Their metallic surfaces shimmer thanks to aluminium tubes that catch the daylight. At night, integrated LED strips transform the façade into a soft, luminous display. Green terraces with trees spill down the staircase, introducing an organic counterpoint to the harder architectural edges.

Arena Santa Giulia by David Chipperfield Architects in Milan - Visual by Onirism Studio.

Visuals are by Onirism Studio.

Inside, Arena Santa Giulia is arranged around a parterre level with two upper tiers, lounges, and sky boxes. Spacious lobbies link all seating areas and provide access to catering and services. Parking is integrated within the podium and supported by a multi-storey car park to the north.

Sustainability drives the project. Resource use and emissions are minimised through efficient systems, while rooftop photovoltaics cover most of the venue’s energy demands.

Visual by Onirism Studio.

In the end, Arena Santa Giulia aims to blend civic purpose, architectural clarity, and long-term environmental care, offering Milan a flexible landmark crafted for future generations.