Stadio San Siro | Giancarlo Ragazzi

In 1925/26 the Chairman of A.C. Milan Piero Pirelli, promoted the construction of a football stadium and a horserace course next to it. The project, led by engineers Stacchini and Cugini, included four straight stands, with one partially covered, providing a total capacity of 35.000 spectators. In 1935 the stadium, that had been bought by the City Council in the meantime, was enlarged for the first time: four curved stands were added to the existing straight stands, creating a continuous ring. Furthermore the two main stands were enlarged .The project was supervised by engineer Bertera and architect Perlasca and increased the total capacity to 55.000 spectators. In 1954/55 a second enlargement, carried out by a Ronca and Calzolari transformed the structure radically with the addition of a second layer to the stands. The new stands were made up of a load-bearing structure external to the old construction and totally covering the existing stands. The spiral stairways giving access to the new stands totally renewed the architectural image of the structure. The capacity rose to 100.000 spectators but later works reduced this to a maximum of about 80.000. This included standing places and places occupied in overcrowded conditions: in effect the total seating capacity could be calculated at around 60.000 spectators. For the occasion of the Soccer World Cup 1990, the Milan Municipal Administration decided to proceed with the refurbishment of the 'Meazza' stadium after they turned down the idea of building a new stadium due to reasons of high costs and limited time available. Furthermore, the 'Meazza' stadium belongs to a sports and leisure complex, called 'the city of sport', which has increased since 1887, the year in which the first horse racing course was established in Milan. The motives and concepts behind the project, conceived by the City Council, can be summarized as follows: -to offer greater comfort to the spectators; -to guarantee highest safety standards; -a project that provides a multifunctional use of the stadium so that it fulfils the role of a social, cultural and recreational centre apart from hosting football matches; -to ensure an architectural image which is coherent with the present structure; The project, designed by Architects Giancarlo Ragazzi, Enrico Hoffer and Engineer Leo Finzi, consists of the construction of a third ring of stands, appearing , as a continuous unit (but formed of totally independent structures) in contrast to the stands of the current existing second ring. The overall capacity, as required for the World Cup 1990, was 86.000 spectators (all covered and with numbered seats). The structure of the terraces of the new third ring rests on eleven cylindrical towers in reinforced concrete. These towers also provide access to the stands and various services and are independent from the existing construction. Four of these towers also support the reticular girders of the roof. Rectangular plates are attached on the load-bearing structure and support the roof which is made-up of curved shelters of polycarbonate. To give maximum comfort all the seat places are new, numbered and anatomically shaped. Furthermore efficient catering facilities are provided for the spectators. Along with the formal and functional extension of the stadium, the refurbishment of the field has also been planned, such as a new drainage and heating system, which has already been fully experimented in European stadiums. Considering, finally, the technological installations with which the stadium has been equipped, the particular importance may be pointed out of: the new flood lighting system for the pitch, allowing TV networks to broadcast the events with an high level of definition. Since 2000, Ragazzi and Partners has successfully carried out and bult important projects focusing on the renovation of the old part of the stadium (first and second ring), with the aim of transforming San Siro in a real five stars stadium in terms of comfort and safety standards.