The Eracle Sports Center expands

“Sport means commitment, dedication, passion and determination. It teaches friendship, inclusion and cooperation along with self-reliance, concentration and self-awareness – all of which are important qualities for personal growth and development. It was for these reasons – and because I believe that sport is synonymous with quality of life – that I decided to invest in the new Eracle Sports Center, a facility where people can practise a wide range of activities in keeping with the values that I believe are represented by sport: courage, strength, humanity and generosity.” With these words, international football star Gianluca Zambrotta introduced the new sports centre located just outside the northern Italian city of Como.
Named after Hercules, the mythological Greek hero and protector of sport and gymnasiums, the Eracle Sports Center is a multidisciplinary complex catering for the needs of children and families with the aim of becoming a centre for meeting and social integration. The recently completed complex includes a club house with spa, a wellness centre, a family space with restaurant and cafeteria and a physiotherapy centre.
The indoor facilities include a fitness hall, two swimming pools and three training rooms, as well as bathrooms and changing rooms, while the large outdoor area hosts 5-a-side and 8-a-side football pitches and tennis, paddle tennis and beach volley courts. The courts and pitches all have their own changing rooms and can be hired for private events and parties.
The figures for the Eracle Sports Center give an idea of its size. It extends over a total site area of 16,500 square metres, including 4,000 square metres of permanent buildings and 3,300 square metres of air-supported structures. This large-scale project was designed entirely by architect Paolo Pettene from the practice Studio SdiA, who oversaw all aspects from the overall layout through to the choice of finishings, custom furnishings and internal graphic design. It adopts highly innovative structural and technological solutions, such as the roof over the larger swimming pool which is made entirely from an exposed steel structure clad with photovoltaic glass integrated with the windows, while the interior design also meets criteria of functionality and excellence.
Italian products are used extensively throughout the centre, from the furnishings and changing room equipment through to the accessories in the foyer and offices, as well as the ceramic tiles chosen from Del Conca’s In-Out, Forma, Monteverde, Upgrade and Zelo collections. Porcelain tiles in grey, natural and wood-inspired colours were used for the floors and walls, in many cases installed over radiant panel heating systems. The range of available sizes and geometries meant that the tiles could be used in both the sports and recreational spaces, ensuring a homogeneous design throughout the entire complex.