Sustainable vinyl at the Allianz Riviera Stadium

The Allianz Riviera Stadium, is a multisport stadium in Nice, France, which opened on 22 September 2013. The stadium, mostly used for football matches, has a capacity of 35,624 people.

Construction started in 2011 and was completed two years later. The project was part of France's ultimately successful bid to host UEFA Euro 2016.

The Allianz Riviera Stadium conforms to the most rigorous standards of environmental and social responsibility, including the use of solar energy and eco-materials, commitment to recycling, and providing job opportunities and training in sustainable development to local workers.

Among other things, the Allianz Riviera Stadium has acknowledged the sustainable advantages of PVC and has made extensive use of this wonderful material in the roof of the stadium. While maintaining a financially-responsible and low-carbon approach to design, the architects were able to develop a complex undulating space-frame that combines optimal lightness with solidity - the frame of the stadium is made up of a tri-dimensional wood-steel frame covered with a PVC and ETFE tensile fabric, and is equipped with photovoltaic panels.

Marco Punzi, architect and director at Wilmotte & Associates, with over 20 years’ experience and projects in Italy, France and China, was responsible for the conception and building of the Allianz Riviera Stadium.

Marco was invited to the Vinyl Sustainability Forum in Cannes, France, on April 30th 2015, where he had the opportunity to highlight the choices made for the construction of the stadium and why PVC was the material of choice for such demanding infrastructure.