VILLA LAGARINA. The Milan’s future private stadium has Lagarine “origins”.. The designer, the American starchitect David Manica, in fact descends from Castellano. The Pro Loco discovered it by chance after reading the surname of the magician of sports facilities around the world. Because Manica, so to speak, also designed the “Nest” in Beijing (the one for the Olympics) and even the restyling of the Camp Nou in Barcelona as well as the field in Las Vegas which hosted the last Superbowl, the final of the American football championship which keeps millions of fans glued to the television.
In short, a professional who cares about sport. «It was truly a coincidence – they explain Claudio Tonolli and Maurizio Manica – When they presented the project for the new AC Milan stadium in Milan we decided to understand who this Manica was. And it emerged that the great-grandfather, Silvio Virgilio, emigrated to America at the beginning of the century. David, however, has always kept in touch with Castellano, so much so that he confirmed to us that he knows the country and has been there. And he will return when he arrives in Milan to deliver the works.”
The “superarchitect” is one of the many emigrants born abroad who then established themselves in business. David Manica’s mantra, on the other hand, is “to combine practicality and aesthetics, utility and beauty”, a bit like what Vallagarina spends to attract tourists. The studio of this “son” of Castellano, who is 54 years old, is one of the most popular in the world when it comes to sport.
Manica, among other things, has all the qualifications: a degree from the University of Kansas, 13 years of experience at «Hok Sport Venue and Event», one of the largest American companies in terms of sports facility design, and then the decision to start his own business, after demonstrating absolute talent. Collaborating in the creation of some magnificent facilities such as the new Wembley and the O2 Arena in London or the spectacular national stadium in Beijing, known as the “Bird’s Nest”.
In just a few years «Manica Architecture» has become an absolute point of reference in sports facilities. This is why Milan decided to choose him for the San Donato stadium which, as mentioned, carries a piece of Vallagarina in its DNA. His belief, as mentioned, can be summed up in a single sentence: «Anyone can design a creative building on paper. It takes, however, a completely different kind of attention and a strategic sense of compromise to make a building emerge from the ground. Once built, my success indicator is based on the people who use it. If the building brings people real joy and is a place they want to return to often, then this is the determining factor in identifying its success.”
Milan, therefore, is waiting for its own football temple and Castellano, in return, is waiting to organize a party under the castle, to cheer himself up a bit, which never hurts.
