Venice, Italy
Architecturally innovative, the latest project of Davide Marazzi of Marazzi Architetti for the Comune di Venezia, emphasizes the fusion of sports, culture, education, and environmental consciousness, setting a new benchmark for sustainable urban design in Italy.
Named the Sports Forest Master Plan or also known as Bosco dello Sport, Marazzi Architetti’s project showcases the architects’ commitment to integrating tradition with forward-thinking urbanism.
The project has been awarded a 2024 International Architecture Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The plan for the new sports citadel for the metropolitan city of Venice pursues the strategic aim of offering the community a territorial epicenter in which, through the sport, developing the culture of psycho-physical well-being and social cohesion.
All in a setting characterized by profound ecological and environmental awareness.
The Venice Sports Forest will therefore be a multiple place, for the construction of identities through passion and high-level sporting experience, for the building of active sociality through the sharing of moments of informal sport, music and entertainment, for education thanks to the presence of schools and training institutes.
The urban strategy responds to a criterion of efficiency that, by means of the urban concentration of functions with a high demand for mobility, avoids the widespread proliferation of infrastructures, parking lots and services.
The proximity to the Marco Polo airport and the on-going construction of a new railway link with a dedicated station will guarantee effective and sustainable regional interconnections.
The urban forestation principle that guides the landscape design is inspired by a careful reading of the local scenario that identifies the generative element in the admirable Mestre Woods.
The organic design is influenced by the strong and inseparable relationship between sport, life and health; the planivolumetric interpretation clearly refers to a DNA strand or a complex cellular system.
At the Venice Sports Forest, professional sport, non-competitive practice, training and entertainment will coexist in synergy.
Τhe functional program includes: a) a stadium for football and rugby for 16,000 spectators; b) a multifunctional indoor arena for 10,000 spectators; c) an outdoor arena for open-air performances and events; d) a sports education campus which includes: ‚ an indoor aquatic center with Olympic swimming pool, training and diving pool; ‚ an outdoor leisure pool with wet beach; ‚
Α beach arena with 6 beach volleyball courts; ‚ a racquet club with 3 tennis courts and 5 padel courts; ‚ a futsal center with 5 fields; ‚ training institutes and related services, for a total of 14,500 sqm; ‚ guesthouses and related services, for a total of 10,000 sqm; e) facilities for unstructured sport including: 3 basketball courts, 1 soccer field, 1 skate-park.
Achieving Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) standards with renewable energy sources like geothermal pumps and photovoltaics.
A “carbon-free” approach, minimizing environmental impact with features such as rainwater recovery systems, extensive tree planting, and minimizing impervious surfaces to combat urban heat islands.
Commitment to green public transportation options, including proximity to a new railway link.
Situated near Marco Polo Airport and designed for regional connectivity, enhancing accessibility while reducing infrastructure sprawl.
Project: The Sports Forest Master Plan
Architects: Marazzi Architetti
Lead Architect: Davide Marazzi
General Contractor: Impresa CEV SpA
Client: Comune di Venezia
Photographs: Courtesy of the Architects
