Concorso internazionale di idee per la copertura dell’Anfiteatro Romano Arena di Verona - 15° classificato | Carlos Rallo de la Cruz

"Inspired in the ancient velarium which originally covered the Roman amphitheatres, our proposed cover is designed with the aim of minimal visual impact and lightness. A structure of slender pillars outside the archaeological area supports an elliptical shaped slab that integrates all elements of the cover. Together with a mobile cable net, a retractable light and translucent PTFE membrane covers the coliseum whenever necessary.

The covering of the amphitheater is performed in two steps: First, a wiring structure is formed through the radial translation along the elliptical slab of mobile cranes until they are located at the opposite side of the original position and cables are tensioned by winches. Second, the PTFE membrane is deployed from the perimeter to the center.

The PTFE membrane has a cylindrical geometry so that it can be folded around the perimeter in perpendicular folds to its generatrix and deployed towards the center of the amphitheatre forming folds in the radial direction, forming a cover tensioned shaped saw tooth with a slight slope outward to the eviction of water."