The Pritzker-laureates cut out the air con and waive their fee to create the neighbourhood facility, Arena do Morro

The Arena do Morro sports, cultural and social centre by Herzog & de Meuron

Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron have followed up their two jaw-dropping sports stadiums – Munich’s Allianz Stadium, and the Bird’s Nest Olympic stadium in Beijing – with a pro-bono alternative in a Brazilian favela.

The Arena do Morro sports, cultural and social centre replaces an old roofless, wall-less stadium. It stands among the red-tiled roofs and cobbled streets of the tough favela, Mãe Luiza, between the city of Natal’s high-rise office blocks and beach hotels.

The Arena do Morro sports, cultural and social centre by Herzog & de Meuron

Herzog & de Meuron’s sweeping roof is made of standard corrugated aluminium panels. “Instead of being tightly joined, the panels are installed with open yet overlapping gaps that allow light and air in but keep water out,” they say.

This roof sits on a curved wall of specially developed and locally manufactured concrete blocks. “Each block has diagonally positioned vertical fins with rounded edges,” the architects add. “By rotating the blocks, different orientations of the fins create various levels of transparency as well as privacy.”....Continue Reading

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