Send Email
From planning through implementation to operation: Kilchenmann was responsible for the sound, media, and digital signage solutions at the new AIL Arena and will continue to support FC Lugano in the long term with service and support.
The AIL Arena has become the new home of FC Lugano and one of the most modern soccer stadiums in Switzerland. Kilchenmann was involved in the planning of the media technology as early as fall 2023 and provided FC Lugano with consulting support in defining and implementing the requirements.
The arena, which features a modern hybrid playing surface, offers over 8,000 seats and—in addition to meeting the criteria of the Swiss Football League—fulfills all requirements of UEFA Category 4 for international competitions. In addition to the high-quality player and spectator areas, modern hospitality zones as well as comprehensive digital signage and media technology solutions for fans, partners, and sponsors were implemented.
Kilchenmann was responsible for the planning and implementation of the stadium’s public address and evacuation systems. As part of the tenant fit-out for FC Lugano, Kilchenmann also handled the implementation of the complete media technology and digital signage solutions.
Initial Situation/Requirements
Kilchenmann was brought on board as a media technology partner early in the project planning phase. The central task was to reconcile the requirements of the various stakeholders. While the City of Lugano, as the project owner, defined the basic requirements for a soccer stadium, FC Lugano, as the future tenant and operator, identified approximately 150 areas for optimization in both the basic construction and tenant fit-out phases. The goal was to design a future-proof and modern infrastructure that meets the high standards of an international soccer stadium while also offering flexible usage options for match operations, events, and partner and hospitality areas. Thanks to the support and investments from FC Lugano, the entire interior fit-out—including the media technology and digital signage systems—was completed to a correspondingly high standard of quality.
Technical Implementation
Kilchenmann installed the public address and evacuation systems for the entire stadium and developed a sophisticated audio concept tailored to the varying requirements of the stands, the playing field, and other stadium areas. With 34 speaker clusters for the stands, additional systems for the playing field, and other sound reinforcement solutions in various zones, a high-performance audio infrastructure tailored to specific needs was created.
Signal processing, distribution, and control systems were also designed for reliable and professional operation. A total of approximately 350 amplifier channels are in use. The result is a comprehensive technical architecture that meets the demands of modern stadium operations as well as the requirements for safety, speech intelligibility, and acoustic quality.
A central element of the media technology is the LED displays behind both goals. As part of the partnership between FC Lugano and LG, approximately 500 m² of LED surfaces were installed. Each side features a central big screen measuring 20 meters wide and six meters high, as well as additional LED side panels. The large-format LED systems were mounted directly onto the stadium’s steel structure, which had been reinforced beforehand.
In addition, Kilchenmann integrated approximately 270 displays for IPTV and digital signage applications throughout the stadium, thereby laying the foundation for targeted information and video communication across a wide range of usage scenarios. In addition, the company was responsible for implementing the media technology in the hospitality areas, public areas, and other stadium zones, ensuring that all systems are harmonized in terms of both function and design to deliver an impressive user and fan experience.
Kilchenmann remains involved even after the AIL Arena has been put into operation. Under a service level agreement, the company supports FC Lugano in operating the systems and ensures the long-term maintenance of the installed solutions as well as their ongoing development.
Conclusion
With the AIL Arena, FC Lugano has gained a modern home that combines sports, hospitality, and digital communication at the highest level. The audio, LED, IPTV, and digital signage solutions implemented by Kilchenmann provide the technical foundation for a modern stadium experience and play a key role in positioning the AIL Arena as one of the most advanced soccer stadiums in Switzerland.
