Populous Unveils New Design for Football Stadium

The stadium is set to become the permanent home of Italian football club A.S. Roma

Italian football club A.S. Roma has released images showcasing its project for a new home stadium, designed by sports-focused architecture office Populous. In addition to improving the experience of fans, the design also aims to appeal to the broader community by providing a varied and multifunctional space. The stadium is set to become the permanent home of A.S. Roma, after having shared the Stadio Olimpico with a rival club since 1953.

The new stadium aims to become a landmark for both A.S. Roma and the city of Rome. Its elevated location in Pietralata allows for panoramic views of the surroundings, making it an accessible and recognizable venue. With an estimated capacity of 65,000 seats, the architectural plans are also created to improve the supporters’ experience.

The stadium’s iconic design, in an elevated location in Pietralata, with views across the city and beautiful surrounding landscaping, means it will become one of the most iconic and recognizable in world football. Its benefits in enhancing the fan experience and bringing together supporters and the community will be felt for generations of A.S. Roma fans to come.

Declan Sharkey, Senior Principal and General Manager of Populous Italia

Central to the new stadium’s architecture are the curved stands of seating on the stadium’s south side, planned to become some of the largest in Europe. As they are located directly behind the goalposts, these seats are typically reserved for the most vocal and passionate supporters, playing an integral part in the culture of European football.

As this represents an early stage in the development of the stadium, few architectural details have been revealed. The released images and videos show the facades clad in vertical fins that wrap around the oval shape of the venue. According to A.S. Roma's leadership and Rome's Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, a strong emphasis of the project will be placed on environmental reasonability and community engagement.

“The stadium’s iconic design, in an elevated location in Pietralata, with views across the city and beautiful surrounding landscaping, means it will become one of the most iconic and recognizable in world football. Its benefits in enhancing the fan experience and bringing together supporters and the community will be felt for generations of A.S. Roma fans to come,” said Declan Sharkey, Senior Principal and General Manager of Populous Italia.

Continuing its focus on sports and entertainment venues, Populous has recently revealed its design for Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, a project that reuses Formula 1 grandstands to create a modular and highly adaptable building. On a similar note, the office has also revealed plans to build a peak performance training center in Cleveland, United States, as well as a new location for the New York Racing Association, drawing on the heritage of the sport.