Pavilhão João Rocha

The Pavilhão João Rocha in Lisbon trades the chaotic energy of open-air football for the clean geometry of indoor sport.

This is a building for a specific purpose, and the architecture serves that function. During the pandemic, the facility was converted into a field hospital, a task the structure handled with ease. When the crisis passed, the arena returned to its primary role, hosting the European League of Roller Hockey Final Four in 2019 and setting an attendance record of 2,903 during a handball match against Veszprém KC.

The atmosphere inside is different from the outdoor grounds in the city. The name comes from the club president João Rocha, who led the team between 1973 and 1986, but the building itself is modern, replacing older facilities that once stood nearby.