Sport and architecture intertwine in unexpected ways. Designing sports infrastructure is not just about creating functional spaces, but also about developing places that meet the demands of sustainability and innovation. Davide Allegri, a researcher at the Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering at Politecnico di Milano guides us through the challenges and opportunities of designing sports infrastructure and explains how it can be transformed into resources for the local area.
How and when did you become interested in designing sports facilities? Was there a particular project or experience that shaped your path in this field?
“A passion for sport has always been a part of my life. In addition to practising and following it, I have always looked at it from a cultural and social perspective, rather than just a competitive or physical one. Sport is an extraordinary tool for communication and sharing experiences. I think it’s similar to music or drawing: it doesn’t need words because its narrative is conveyed through gestures and events that are part of our shared memory. My professional and academic interest began with my Master’s thesis, in which I designed a football stadium under the supervision of Professor Emilio Faroldi. Since that moment (the year was 2001), sports architecture and everything related to it has remained the focus of my research and design work.”

What are the key stages in designing a sports facility? How do you move from concept to realisation? Which professionals and skills are involved in each phase of the project?
“Since the early 2000s, as a research group, we have replaced the concept of ‘sports facility’, which often referred to purely functional structures that were typically anonymous ‘boxes’ with no connection to their context, with the concept of ‘sports infrastructure’. This is seen as an element capable of energising, connecting and redeveloping both the physical and social aspects of the city and modern communities. Today, the term sports infrastructure refers to objects that are as fascinating as they are complex, requiring design, construction and, above all, management. The ever-growing demand for spaces and places to practise sport at all levels (and, more generally, for mental and physical wellbeing and leisure) has led to the creation of new, increasingly specialised professions. Furthermore, the approach to the design of buildings, venues and sporting events must be fully multidisciplinary, involving architects, engineers, designers, sociologists, managers, economists, management engineers, legal and procedural experts and others. In this respect, I am convinced that the ‘polytechnic’ culture and approach can be an ideal field of application for this sector.”
Can you share any particularly significant projects you have worked on? What challenges have you faced?
“In recent years, as a research group, we have taken on some exciting projects and challenges. Among the many projects, I recall the feasibility study for AC Milan’s new Portello stadium, developed in collaboration with ARUP and the club. This was an extraordinary model of a sustainable, smart city stadium, seamlessly integrated into the urban fabric, a concept that is still highly relevant today (especially in the midst of the ongoing debate about the new stadium in Milan). More recently, we supported the Italian Football Federation in its successful bids for EURO 2019 U21 and EURO 2032. Our current work focuses on three key pillars: stadiums, sustainability and sustainable mobility.”

How do you integrate sustainability into your projects? What are your key priorities when it comes to reducing your environmental impact? Are there innovative materials or technologies that can be used to make facilities more sustainable?
“The topic of sustainability in sports architecture is relatively recent, particularly when viewed from a regulatory and scientific perspective. In recent years, new approaches have emerged in this field as well, incorporating innovative technologies and systems for the sustainable management of sports infrastructure. At the same time, various sports governance bodies are establishing new, increasingly stringent performance parameters, as evidenced by the latest reports published by the Italian Football Federation and UEFA. In general, due to their layout, stadiums – as well as indoor arenas and all sports buildings scattered throughout our region – can be privileged areas for technological experimentation for the production of energy from renewable sources (think of the large flat surfaces of roofs and façades) or modularly applicable materials with a reduced environmental impact. In Europe, the practice of certifying sports buildings according to strict, recognised and commonly agreed parameters is now well established. In Italy, however, this has not yet been adopted as a widespread standard, highlighting another area with significant room for development.”
What role do you think sports facilities play in promoting sustainability at a community level?
“This is undoubtedly one of the key issues for the future, both in terms of design and the organisation and management of sporting events at all levels. Suffice it to say that on the macro scale of the (winter-summer) Olympic Games and major football competitions, the main issue in the bidding to host such events is legacy, what the events leave behind for the region in terms of physical, economic, infrastructural, but also social, cultural and identity-related effects in the post-event period. Too often in the past, this aspect was underestimated. Today, however, there has been a complete shift in perspective, with the focus moving from the event itself to the post-event period. Sport, in this respect, can truly make a difference. Sports venues are powerful identity icons, recognised by communities as symbols and points of reference, and every action related to sustainability has a unique media impact.”
How has Politecnico di Milano influenced your education and your approach to designing sports facilities?
“Politecnico di Milano’s cultural approach is inherently multidisciplinary, pragmatic or, to use a current term, ‘problem-solving’, and, last but not least, always focused on technological innovation. These are not just slogans. This is really how it is, and I have been able to appreciate this in my personal experience as a designer and researcher in the field we are discussing. My education, all within Polimi – including my Degree Thesis, Ph.D., Specialisation in Cultural and Landscape Heritage, Research etc. – has allowed me to approach the wonderful and fascinating (yet very complex) topic of sports infrastructure from different perspectives and scales of intervention: from the urban level to the building and technological detail.”
How do you see the future of sports facility design in terms of technology and sustainability?
“The sports, wellness and leisure sector is expanding rapidly in every sense of the word, which means there will be more and more opportunities for those who want to work in these fascinating and challenging fields. On the other hand, technology, which is increasingly permeating every aspect of our lives, including sport, is a dominant factor. Just think of virtual reality, social media, big data, smart technologies, virtual experiences, AI, the metaverse and so on. It is no coincidence that the opening of this academic year at Politecnico di Milano had ‘Sport and Technology’ as its central theme.”

How is sports design taught at Politecnico di Milano?
“As a research group at Politecnico di Milano, we were the first in Italy (and among the first in the world) to study sport from a scientific point of view (I remember the conference “Stadiums for Football: Design, Construction, Management,” organised at the National Research Council by Prof. Emilio Faroldi way back in 2001), publishing books, conducting research in direct contact with sports governing bodies at all levels, and engaging in many other activities. In parallel, in 2017 we launched an international Master’s programme in Sport Design and Management (which I have the pleasure of coordinating). This programme brings together the two core areas of Polimi – architecture and engineering – and management (with the Graduate School of Management, formerly MIP), with a focus on SPORT in all its forms. The Master’s programme has climbed the international rankings (we are 6th in the world for sport programmes), and its approach is entirely multidisciplinary, with over 150 speakers from around the world joining each year. It is a unique programme, both nationally and internationally, and I am proud to say that it has been created within Politecnico di Milano, embodying its culture and its globally recognised excellence in education.
Thanking you for this opportunity to discuss sport with the Politecnico community, I’d like to conclude with a small personal anecdote. Last January, representing the Master’s programme in Sport Design and Management, we were invited to Melbourne during the Australian Open Tennis Championships for a networking exchange with ‘Sport Australia’ (for context, Brisbane will be hosting the 2032 Olympic Games and Melbourne is the world’s number one sports city). I was lucky enough to attend the final, where Jannik Sinner secured his first historic Grand Slam victory. Most importantly, Jannik signed the ‘Made in Polimi’ bag I had with me, as if to say… Polimi, thanks above all to sport, is coming to Australia and leaving its mark on an event that has already made history!”