The countdown to Sanremo Festival 2025 has begun, marking a new era with Carlo Conti at the helm after the long and successful tenure of Amadeus. While the host changes, the challenge of designing the Teatro Ariston stage remains. Over the years, the stage has expanded to include the first eight rows of the audience, as it does this year.

For this edition, the set design is by Riccardo Bocchini, who told Domus that he has been in Sanremo for a month to oversee the installation and rehearsals for each performance. The concept for the scenography is a “Techno Hall”, with three-dimensional sculptural walls integrated with electromechanical movements. “The stage will have a strong identity, but it will change completely according to the performances - or even disappear completely,” explains Bocchini.

A dynamic structure based on optical effects, curtains and lighting elements that Bocchini calls “techno-chandeliers” - moving pieces that rise and fall from the ceiling. But the real star is the staircase, a symbol of both triumph and anxiety for those who climb it on the Ariston stage. “It can take on 12 different configurations: each step moves independently, forming waves or even playing like a piano. It can extend the stage or become a suspended platform for the performer,” reveals the architect.

Creating a space that works for both a live audience and millions of television viewers is no easy feat. “I have an architectural background, but I've been in television for 40 years. The biggest challenge is to design everything for the eye of the camera,” says Bocchini. “This year, for example, we decided to open up part of the set completely to avoid gaps in the shot during entrances.”

This isn't the first time that Bocchini has designed the Sanremo stage, having previously created the sets for Carlo Conti's editions from 2015 to 2017. Returning to the same space is a unique challenge. "The risk is repetition, but after eight years it was easier to 'forget' and start again. I'm satisfied because this design is completely different from the previous ones, both in terms of form and aesthetics," he concludes.

Sanremo 2025 promises to be an edition where the scenic architecture is not just a backdrop but a true protagonist, constantly reinventing itself to create an immersive experience between television and live performance.