Architecture

Sporty skyscraper concept stacks 8 tennis courts on top of each other

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Playscraper would rise to a height of 90 m (300 ft) and consist of eight stacked tennis courts
Carlo Ratti Associati
Playscraper would offer a total of 5,500 sq m (roughly 60,000 sq ft) of playing space inside
Carlo Ratti Associati
Playscraper would rise to a height of 90 m (300 ft) and consist of eight stacked tennis courts
Carlo Ratti Associati
Playscraper's facade would be able to display sports fixtures and other content
Carlo Ratti Associati
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Italian firm Carlo Ratti Associati serves a slice of bonkers blue sky architecture with its "Playscraper." Also referred to as the Tennis Tower, the sporty skyscraper would stack eight tennis courts on top of each other to reach a height of 90 m (roughly 300 ft).

The project was designed in association with Italo Rota and commissioned by the RCS MediaGroup. Carlo Ratti Associati envisions the Playscraper's eight tennis courts as standalone structures piled on top of each other. Each court would feature transparent walls that offer panoramic views of the surrounding area. Additionally, the building's facade would incorporate an electronic screen of some kind that could be used to stream sports matches and other content.

Stacking the courts would offer a total of 5,500 sq m (roughly 60,000 sq ft) of playing space inside and the renders also depict some outdoor areas. Structurally, it would consist of an "innovative construction technology based on a lightweight stainless-steel sandwich structure," developed by Broad Sustainable Building that Carlo Ratti Associati says is inspired by the outer shell of spacecraft. The whole thing would also be easy to disassemble and move if required.

"This project would not just create a new icon for sports lovers," says architect and engineer Carlo Ratti, founder of the firm. "It also experiments with a new type of public space, extending vertically instead of horizontally. The tower is easy to install and dismantle and can be easily moved. This flexible approach fits the circular nature of today's sports competitions, which move from location to location throughout the year."

Playscraper would offer a total of 5,500 sq m (roughly 60,000 sq ft) of playing space inside
Carlo Ratti Associati

Carlo Ratti Associati has experimented with unusual materials before, both with jars to form a factory for Italian tomato firm Mutti and, on a more serious note, with shipping containers to help with life-saving COVID-19 treatment.

However, the firm makes no mention of any immediate plans to realize this conceptual project and though the basic idea could have merit in built up city areas, we'll go out on a limb and say you're not going to see the US Open hosted in this any time soon.

Source: Carlo Ratti Associati

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3 comments
paul314
Unless those glass endwalls are structural, it doesn't look like there's much horizontal stability to keep those boxes from folding flat. Also, the rendering doesn't show any room for elevators. I'm not sure whether 8th-floor matches would be very popular (especially since each of these boxes looks to be about 2x the ceiling height of a regular office or residential space).

Renders were more fun when they were confined to the backs of napkins.
buzzclick
I'm with Paul314 on this one. Elevators, stairways, bathrooms, service areas? Safety? There is no practical reason to build such a finite-use structure, just because it's stacked and may look cool.
BlueOak
The comments might be taking this concept promotion a bit too seriously.

Clearly the Architecture business is slow due to lockdowns... so the architects play... and fish for new business with pie in the sky projects like this.