On Monday, July 8, the new sports arena of the Waterfront di Levante regeneration masterplan in Genoa (European Capital of Sport 2024) was presented in the Fiera area. The arena is located in the heart of the former Palasport, a landmark dating back to the early 1960s, characterized primarily by its large central oculus made of fiberglass. The Palasport, designed by the Palsport Group (Franco Sironi, Leo Finzi, Remo Pagani, and Lorenzo Martinoia), which edged out Pier Luigi Nervi and Luigi Carlo Daneri, was the first large tensile structure built in Europe. At the time, it was among the largest and most modern indoor sports facilities, hosting 15,000 spectators.

The new facility, designed by RPBW Renzo Piano Building Workshop like the overall masterplan, spans three floors and can accommodate up to 5,000 spectators. They are distributed across eight circular tiers, with four fixed grandstands made of reinforced concrete and four telescopic stands, allowing the central area to be modified according to the hosted events. The arena was developed to host the twelve major sports disciplines recognized by CONI. Inside, a sound-absorbing wall runs along the entire circumference, optimizing acoustics and providing a 360° projection surface for videos and images.

The arena’s external perimeter, beyond the technical rooms, will house a shopping center designed by Starching. It aims to be a gathering place integrated with the urban fabric, a focal point of the area’s regeneration, as open and inclusive as possible. These characteristics are symbolically and formally supported by the circle, from whose circumference every point of view toward the center is equal.