Claro Arena renovation wins Monocle Design Award for best civic renovation

Spanish architecture firm Idom has transformed Santiago's Claro Arena, home to Club Deportivo Universidad Católica since the 1980s, expanding capacity from 12,000 to 20,000 spectators while preserving 95% of sightlines. The renovation, which won the Monocle Design Awards 2026 for Best Civic Renovation in Chile, introduced a lighter frame hovering above the original brutalist concrete base. A new upper level houses dressing rooms, press centers, hospitality spaces, and a 360-degree perimeter boulevard with slatted wooden façade offering panoramic views of the Andes. Lead architects Borja Gómez Martín and César Azcárate Gómez chose laminated Chilean radiata pine over generic steel and glass, with adjustable slats for shade, ventilation, and acoustic control. The project transforms the single-purpose venue into a multipurpose facility generating year-round revenue, embedding itself into Santiago's economic fabric.