Swiss Life Arena

The «Theatre of Dreams» is wrapped in an apparently weightless curtain of exposed concrete in white cement. Around the porthole-shaped windows set at regular intervals into the exterior wall, the folds ripple and billow, creating the illusion of moving fabric concealing the arena with its volume of 478,000 cubic metres. The extraordinary textile appearance of this facade was developed over five years using 40 different, unique formwork moulds. Around 110,000 tonnes of concrete were poured on site, «like a dam» in the words of architect Adam Caruso. Continuous pours of six metres in height ensured the seamless folded structure. Located between Zurich Altstetten train station and the A1 motorway, the Swiss Life Arena covers some 28,000 square metres and seats 12,000 spectators.