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Rossetti unveils ‘Inverted Bowl’ arena concept

Sports and entertainment architecture firm Rossetti has revealed details of a new ‘Inverted Bowl’ concept that it said will turn thousands of years of arena design convention “inside-out”.

The concept pledges to bring fans closer to the action, boost revenue projections and also reduce the overall footprint of a venue.

Instead of having seats that slope away from the main action, as they do in many traditional arenas, the Inverted Bowl features plans for balcony seating that lean towards the staging area. Rossetti said this will allow for broadcast-quality views that are up to 50 per cent closer.

The firm said the new design also eliminates single-use circulation concourses, while the four featured balconies will include diverse entertainment, such as full wall digital media screens and creative food and beverage options.

In addition, Rossetti said that by adopting the new design, developers could save on public funding, as the design may reduce steel tonnage by up to 22 per cent, while overall revenue projection could increase by as much as 30 per cent.

Matt Rossetti, president of Rossetti, which has worked on projects such as the Daytona International Speedway and Arthur Ashe Stadium, said: “Traditionally, upper bowl seats provide a subpar experience because they are so far removed from the action.

“With the Inverted Bowl by Rossetti, we transform live entertainment by providing unsurpassed views and experiences to every fan in attendance in every seat of the arena.

“With the Inverted Bowl by Rossetti, we specifically wanted to create more flexibility in a venue’s ‘real estate’ and provide owners with an adaptable solution for different types of events—from sports like hockey and basketball to e-sports and concerts—while creating new experiences for spectators.

“After developing the idea and applying our ‘Return on Design’ concepts on arena spaces through the real estate lens at first, and then through the experiential lens, we quickly realised that fans are increasingly looking for not only the freedom to move with their friends and family, but also have the ability to curate their venue experience.

“The Inverted Bowl by Rossetti meets both the needs of owners and fans alike.”

Interpol+- Studios GmbH has also mooted a similar idea and will showcase the concept at the annual TheStadiumBusiness Design & Development Summit, taking place in Barcelona on 28-29 November.