For the construction of the stands at the new Santa Giulia Arena in Milan, the client selected CETA, an Italian company specializing in the design and manufacture of telescopic grandstands.

The arena, which hosted the ice hockey competitions of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, is one of the major projects being built in the southeastern part of the city. Designed by architect David Chipperfield in collaboration with the engineering firm Arup as a multipurpose venue intended to remain in use even after the Games, the arena has a projected capacity of 14,000 spectators, offering a modern facility designed to host both major sporting events and live performances.

High-Performance Telescopic Stands by CETA

At the Arena Santa Giulia in Milan CETA has supplied and installed stands designed to ensure maximum flexibility, rapid reconfiguration of spaces, and certified safety, for a total of 1,578 seats:
• 2 motorized linear stands – Length 30 m (one of which is modular)
• 2 grandstands on the curves – Length 26 m
• 1 motorized linear grandstand – Length 17 m

The motorized solutions allow for rapid opening and closing, ideal for a multipurpose arena that will host not only Olympic competitions but also concerts and events on the post-Games calendar.

Load-bearing structures and materials: safety and certified quality

The load-bearing structure of CETA grandstands uses rectangular-section tubular profiles and open-section steel profiles coated with powder paint.

All metalwork is CE marked in accordance with EN 1090, ensuring compliance with European structural requirements and public safety standards. The risers and infill panels are made of painted perforated sheet metal. The decking consists of fire-retardant birch plywood panels.

Guardrails and Cladding: Safety and Aesthetic Integration

The design of the CETA grandstands at the Arena Santa Giulia in Milan also includes the supply of removable side and front guardrails, made entirely of painted metal and sized in accordance with regulatory requirements regarding horizontal wind loads.

The installation is completed by removable side and front infill panels, composed of painted perforated sheet metal panels.

In addition to the grandstands, CETA also supplied and installed all the metal railings in the arena, which are essential for ensuring the safety of the public in the perimeter areas and along the vertical pathways.

A key component of the new Olympic arena

CETA telescopic stands are part of a rapidly evolving landscape: the Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena is one of the symbols of urban regeneration tied to the 2026 Games, a facility that will remain a major hub for sports and entertainment in the city. The facility, built with private investment, was designed to ensure versatility and rapid reconfiguration—features that are fully realized in the stands installed by CETA.

With this project, the company has contributed to the creation of one of the most anticipated Olympic venues, offering advanced technical solutions that are perfectly integrated with the needs of a modern, modular, and future-oriented arena.

(News by CETA Spa)