Win-win for Virtus Segafredo Bologna in temporary basketball venue

Virtus Segafredo Bologna began the new season with a win in their temporary new home. NUSSLI constructed the temporary indoor arena at Padiglione 30 in Bologna’s convention centre. Featuring nearly 9,000 seats, it was one of the biggest basketball arenas in Italy.

On November 10th, the Virtus Bologna basketball team played the opening game in their new temporary home, Virtus Segafredo Arena. The current Basketball Champions League champions defeated Treviso Basket 84:79; a great sign not only for the club’s season but for the arena project as well.

The team trod new paths with its temporary indoor arena. Fully in line with the wishes of the many basketball fans, the project – initiated by Virtus Bologna together with the Bologna Fiere trade fair – created more seating capacity first and foremost; with almost twice as many fans able to experience the club’s home games up close and personal in the Virtus Segafredo Arena.

Fully equipped arena with plenty of options

Totalling a capacity of roughly 9,000 in the various seating and standing room categories, the indoor arena offered basketball lovers a unique sports experience. Business events could be also hosted in the hospitality zone by booking one of several attractive packages.

From the press area, members of the media were able to enjoy not only a great view of the court, but also benefit from the necessary working environment for live reporting.

Brief construction time for the custom-made venue

Following less than six weeks of planning and production, a total of 28 trucks delivered more than 450 tons of grandstand material to Padiglione 30 on the exhibition grounds – this included 700 steps alone, plus seats, steel tubes, floor slabs, cladding material and much more.

Within just two weeks – and thus without major disruptions to the ongoing trade fair operations – the assembly teams had erected the entire indoor arena.

During the planning phase, arranging the individual grandstands into a compact arena proved to be especially challenging. In this context, the limited width and height of the convention hall did not permit a harmonious, even shape. The NUSSLI planners thus decided in favour of an unusual arena geometry that ensured optimal fields of vision from the seats. In addition, the orifice-like access ways also complied with the high requirements placed on escape routes.