Today marks the 100th birthday of an architectural icon that will soon be torn down. In its glorious life and planned obsolescence is a lesson for nations like India that are planning to host large international sports events. Milan’s San Siro stadium—officially named after footballer Giuseppe Meazza—is one of the grand temples of the sport. This shared home of the AC Milan and Inter Milan clubs is today severely short of modern crowd management facilities, basic conveniences and transport linkages. As Ahmedabad plans for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, apart from ensuring the seamless movement of massive crowds, it must keep its eyes on aspects San Siro lacks: a multi-purpose complex designed for a warmer city that can be used for a variety of purposes once the big event is done.
