Q – What was the inspiration for using transparent seats throughout Palasport Olimpico

Mr. Venelli –This inspiration was natural because of the idea of using a mono-material. Since the structure of the seat is visible, it would have been bad to use different materials. The use of just one material is more common. But using a crystal-clear one comes from the idea of ice, which is, of course, a clear material. In this case the entire venue is a unique body, a unique skin, a unique box. And it required absolutely crystal-clearness, looking “light” even though it is a huge building. Never has there been a venue with such immense internal volume and inner space. Moreover, the entire inner structure and the finishes are coherent with the seats and the colors (clear grey, metal and metallic grey). Seldom do you see such harmony between fittings and framework.

Q – Did you set out to make the seats look like ice or did the idea just evolve?

Mr. Venelli – Besides the crystal-clear clarity which evokes the ice, clearness has one more value: in my opinion, it is not a really good chromatic effect to put colored seats in any kind of stadium because color is made by the people. If the seats are neutral, in this case crystal-clear clarity, the color is made by people and their clothing. It is like looking at a bookcase filled with colored books. The books provide the color; the bookcase can be a simple wall, white or black.

Q – What attributes were you looking for in selecting the plastic?

Mr. Venelli – We opted for DuraStar, which has excellent flammability ratings. We needed a material certified as self-extinguishing. This is a prime requirement for a stadium. Furthermore, we were looking for a material with properties like mechanical strength.

Q – What other plastics were considered besides Eastman’s DuraStar polymer?

Mr. Venelli – The guideline was to choose a material like polycarbonate, already widely used (for seats and office furniture). It looks fine, it is easy to process, it is simple to mold, and it is suitable for making many products, including seats. But it wasn't possible to have polycarbonate guaranteed as self-extinguishing.

Q – You’ve been involved in the construction of many sports arenas and yet this is the first to use transparent seats as well as your first time using DuraStar. Did you have any concerns about using a new material on such a high-profile venue?

Mr. Venelli – It is the first time we’ve used DuraStar but we did not have any concerns. We are used to solving any possible problem which can arise during product development. We do not center our material choice around the many or the few difficulties because we have 50 years of know-how. If there are problems, we solve them.

Q – The arena has two types of seats. One is a single molded piece and the other is molded into two pieces with fixed seating and adjustable backrests, allowing the seat to be compressed together with the terrace steps of the telescopic stand. Did the two-piece design present any special challenges?

Mr. Venelli – No, it didn’t because the two-piece seat is the outcome of the single molded piece which was the first to be designed and defined. We designed two different types but both have the same specifications and the same design and finishes properties. We designed the definitive single piece to be molded first. It was this piece that established the aesthetic, ergonomic (including the posture) and functional guidelines. The seating and backrest originate, therefore, from the single molded piece. The two-piece seat looks like one molded piece cut into two pieces. Of course, the two-piece seat has been injection molded with two molds.

Q – People come in all shapes and sizes. So what are the most important factors in designing a seat that’s comfortable for 12,000 people?

Mr. Venelli – People are fat or thin, old or young, short or tall. But large or small are the most important factors. The posture is studied in the same way as we have for all the other seats we’ve designed for sport stadiums. If you work in an office, you have a seat for working at a desk and with a computer. You keep a position given by the chair ergonomics, designed for people sitting for many hours. In a cinema, the auditorium usually is flat or it is at a tilt. You always have to look up at the screen. So the seat must be designed to give you the right position, with a slight backwards inclination. If you had this same position in a stadium, you wouldn't see anything. Any kind of sport you are looking at sitting in a stadium, you always have the pitch far off and down, even when you sit on the first terraces. Therefore, your position must be upright, like an L, but always ergonomic. You have to find the right slight inclination, through a study of the seating radius, backrest radius and the curvature of the entire seat. In the end you have a comfortable seat with a near-upright and quite concave backrest. The right values are already defined by tables quoting the “visibility curve” and other values regarding seats for sport venue. It is very important to have the know-how and experience, for example, when considering the different kind of surroundings. There are some sports that have warm or hot conditions and people do not wear coats. And there are sports like ice hockey where people have to wear heavy clothes if there is no heating. You have to think about this thickness and bulk, too, since these kinds of heavy coat do not stick to the body. Another thing to think about is the right way to let the thighs rest to "unload" forward. It has to work for short and tall people. Moreover, the seat must bear from 10 to 150 kilos. Among furniture, the chair is the most difficult one to design. In stadiums the seats are fixed and they must have the right characteristics for all people.

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