The Olympic ideal that has inspired record performances from generations of athletes also drives architects and builders to leave a legacy of their own.
Palasport Olimpico, the ice hockey arena for the XX Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, is the world’s first sports venue with all-transparent seats and a triumph of Olympic proportion for architects Arata Isozaki and Pier Paolo Maggiora.
Made of Eastman’s DuraStar™ polymer, the 12,000 crystal-clear seats reflect the ice on the arena floor and the parallel-piped stainless steel ceiling. “Seldom do you see such harmony between fittings and framework,” says Giancarlo Venelli, an industrial designer and president of La Metaltecnica srl F. lli Venelli, a major producer of seating systems for sports venues.
Two types of seats were required: one injection molded as a single piece; the other molded into two pieces with fixed seating and adjustable backrests that can be compressed together into a telescopic stand. The creative brief called for a material with excellent flammability ratings, the mechanical strength and durability to withstand the ardor of a feverish audience and one very specific requirement – the clarity and brilliance of ice.
“Color is made by people,” explains Venelli. “If the seats are neutral – in this case crystal-clear– the color is made by people and their clothing. It is like looking at a bookcase: the books provide the color; the bookcase can be a simple wall, white or black.”
With the XX Winter Olympics now a treasured memory, the city of Torino inherits an arena that's multi-functional and unique in the true sense of the word. “There isn’t another like it in the world and it will be visited as an example of architecture that performs its task perfectly," says Venelli. "It is a huge venue and a stunning space. It is hard to find such a thing in sport facilities. I consider it Number One.”
Key Attributes
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Clarity
Mechanical strength properties
Excellent flammability rating |
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Links
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La Metaltecnica / F.lli Venelli srl
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 www.venellisport.it
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