More than twenty years after work began, Calatrava's Vela (Sail) is ready to reclaim its place as a landmark in Rome’s architectural and urban landscape. Thanks to an investment of 80 million euros, the imposing structure designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava has finally been completed and returned to the city. Mapei, leader in the production of chemical products for the building industry, played a key role in the redevelopment of the work, carried out by the temporary business group ATI composed of Sac SpA and Natura e Architettura Srl, by providing advanced technologies to guarantee durability, safety and quality.
Originally conceived as the centre of the 'City of Sport' for the 2009 World Swimming Championships, Calatrava's Vela stood for years as a symbol of incompletion. Located in the Tor Vergata district, the structure has experienced a long period of neglect, despite various revival attempts over the years Today, thanks to the joint efforts of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Agenzia del Demanio and the Jubilee Commission Structure, the 15,000-seat arena is once again shining, ready to host sports, cultural and religious events. The first major event will be the 2025 Youth Jubilee, set to take place on Saturday, August 2 and Sunday, August 3, with thousands of young people gathering under the guidance of Pope Leo XIV.
Mapei, which is present in the area with a commercial office in Rome and a production plant in Latina, supplied innovative and sustainable technologies and materials for the renovation. Thanks to its wide range of solutions, the company contributed significantly across several areas: from the protection of the concrete surfaces to the sealing and levelling of the steps of the stands, from the waterproofing of the terraces to the resin coating of the flooring, and the application of anti-slip finishes on the polyurea treated surfaces.
The renovation project extended well beyond the arena itself, encompassing a total area of 48 hectares, transformed into a multifunctional public space. Surrounding the Vela, a large urban park with 460 trees, 300 hedges and over 6,000 shrubs offer a green area to the city. The inauguration of the driveway bridge over the Rome-Naples highway, with a direct connection to Tor Vergata, improves accessibility to the area, making it an urban hub dedicated to sport, wellness, culture, the environment and research.
Calatrava's Vela has thus become a living, accessible and inclusive place, a symbol of urban regeneration which goes far beyond architecture. Mapei is proud to have contributed to this important project, placing its expertise and commitment to sustainable, high-quality construction at the service of Rome and its citizens.
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