With the growing popularity of underground electronic music, the iconic Colosseum stage has become an increasingly important and unique venue. In 2022, when Sziget Festival returned after a two-year hiatus, Covid commissioned internationally renowned studio Hello Wood to create an even more spectacular and grandiose Colosseum. The new version was completed with a giant gladiator's head, which, raised above the structure, houses the DJ booth. Inside the 1,000 square meter covered arena, more than 3,000 revelers were able to dance to the music of world-class DJs
A new edition of the Colosseum at the Sziget Festival. An amphitheater built out of re-usable pallets
The first Colosseum at the Sziget Festival was built in 2012 with the idea of using pallets, which were inspired by the pallets used for the logistics that are usually found around large events. With this system, the modules of the structure do not need to be disposed of at the end of the show, nor do they need to be numbered for reuse. This highly successful experiment has created a new category of festival venue: an architecture that is both functional and spectacular, completely different from the usual structures
Built from industrial materials, the raw character of the wooden structure matched the mechanical electronic music. The gladiator's helmet was made from trapezoidal steel sheets. Pallet towers were reinforced with raw steel profiles and ratchet strapping, and aluminum meshes were placed between the huge columns. The mesh played both an aesthetic and a practical role: it was important not to block the view from outside to invite the audience in, but at the same time create a more welcoming atmosphere for those dancing inside under the mesh, which sparkles in the night lighting
With a focus on sustainability, most of the Coliseum's building materials are recyclable or reusable. Hello Wood, which was also the contractor, rented the 4,400 pallets needed to construct the building. This enabled the manufacturer to sell them in their original function after the structure was dismantled. The columns, made of pallets stacked one on top of the other, reached a height of 9 meters, the maximum height being determined by the load-bearing capacity of the standard pallets
The 2022 Colosseum will compete with other increasingly spectacular theaters, but at the same time it will create a unique and incomparable architectural space that is unusual for festivals: an illuminated, modern amphitheater that will further enhance the musical experience
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