Sector 12 / 18

BIM for stadiums and arenas

Stands, roofs, building services and spectator routes coordinated in the model, even when the stadium stays in use during the works.

At a glance

B1P Group works in BIM on stadiums, arenas and sports halls: architecture, structure and building services modelled in Revit, stands and roofs coordinated with lighting, audio, video and security, sectors and escape routes checked in the federated model in Navisworks. For designers, contractors and clients we derive from the model the construction phases, the quantities and the as-built with the data for operating the venue.

The sector

What do we do on a stadium or a sports arena?

A stadium is a building made of repetition: terrace steps, vomitories, seats, columns and beams of the stands repeat sector by sector, with variations in geometry that the model must follow precisely. In Revit we build parametric families for terrace steps and seats and place them with automations that read the geometry of the stand; long-span roofs are modelled together with the structure and coordinated with pitch lighting, screens, the audio system and rainwater drainage.

The federated model in Navisworks brings together architecture, structure and building services: ventilation and heating of the rooms under the stands, electrical and emergency systems, CCTV and access control, kitchens and hospitality services. Clashes are resolved before construction and the clash log accompanies every delivery. The modelling rules are described on the modelling with Revit page.

Typical projects

New stadiums and rebuilds
Upgrades of existing stadiums, including with the venue in use
Sports halls and indoor arenas
Roofs of the stands and long-span structures
Sports centres, swimming pools and training grounds
Hospitality areas, retail spaces and associated car parks

Spectators and construction

Why does the flow model matter in a stadium?

A stadium's capacity depends on its escape routes: the widths of vomitories, stairs and exits and the places of safety determine how many people can enter each sector. In the model, sectors, seats and routes are elements with their own data, so capacities, distances and widths are derived from the model and stay consistent when the design changes. Sightlines from the seats to the pitch are checked on the sections of the stand before the geometry of the terrace steps is fixed.

Ahead of the 2032 European Football Championship several Italian stadiums are to be rebuilt or upgraded to meet UEFA requirements, often without stopping the league. The construction phases enter the model (4D) with the sectors that stay open, the site areas and separate routes for the public and site vehicles; the quantities per phase come from the model (5D). How we work is described on the 4D and 5D BIM page.

Rules and formats

Which rules apply to sports facilities?

They remain those of the design: the Ministerial Decree of 18 March 1996 on the safety of sports facilities, the CONI standards for sports facilities, the regulations of the sports federations and, for international competitions, the UEFA stadium infrastructure requirements. The model does not replace them: it makes capacities, escape routes, pitch dimensions and service spaces checkable, sector by sector.

When the client is public, Legislative Decree 36/2023 and Annex I.9 on digital information management apply; in public-private partnerships the exchange information requirements must reconcile the requests of the authority with those of the promoter. Exchange is in IFC and, for operation, in COBie or in the format of the maintenance system.

Typical deliverables

What do we deliver?

Deliverables vary with the stage and the information requirements; these are the most common.

Phase	Handover	Who it is for
Design	Architecture, structure and building services models, coordinated stands and roofs, capacities and escape routes from the model, IFC	Designers
Construction	Construction-level models, construction phases with the venue in use (4D), quantities by sector and by phase (5D)	Contractors
Completion	As-built model verified against the laser scanning survey, data on seats, building services and equipment for maintenance	Contractors and clients
Operation	Model for operating the venue: spaces, sectors, building services and planned maintenance, in COBie or in the operator's format	Clients and asset operators

References

Why are there no project names here?

Projects in this sector belong to the clients: we do not publish names, locations or images of the assets. In our offers we list projects of the same type and, with the client's consent, someone who can confirm our work.

Why we do not publish our projects

Related services

Which services do we provide in this sector?

Frequently asked questions

The questions we are asked in this sector

Who models a stadium or a sports arena in BIM?

B1P Group models and coordinates stadiums, arenas and sports halls for designers, contractors and clients: architecture, structure, roofs and building services in Revit, federated model in Navisworks, construction phases and quantities from the model. Delivery is in IFC and in the native format, up to the as-built for whoever will operate the venue.

Can capacity and escape routes be derived from the model?

Sectors, seats, vomitories and exits are elements of the model with their own data: capacities, widths and route lengths are derived from the model and updated with every change. The calculation remains with the fire safety designer, who receives consistent and checkable data from the model.

Do you work on stadiums that stay open during the works?

It is the most common case in upgrades. The phases enter the model with the sectors open to the public, the site areas and the separate routes, and they are checked before every season or event.

Do you model the roofs of the stands?

The roofs are modelled together with the structure, including the long-span parts, and coordinated with pitch lighting, screens, audio, rainwater drainage and maintenance routes at height. For complex geometries the model starts from the structural designer's data.

What does a stadium operator need at the end of the works?

An as-built model with spaces, sectors, seats, building services and equipment, with the data needed for maintenance and periodic inspections. B1P Group delivers it in IFC and in the format of the management system, starting from the construction model or from the laser scanning survey.

Contact

Do you have a stadium or a sports arena at the design stage or to renovate?

Tell us about the works, the stage and whether the venue stays in use during the works: we will tell you how we would set up the model and what we would deliver.

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