MAPEI: Technical Partner for Red Bull at the 2021 Half-Court World Final in Rome

Milan, October 13th – The new playground in Scalo San Lorenzo in Rome, Italy, hosted the highly anticipated 2021 Red Bull Half-Court World Final on Saturday, October 16. The leading international players of this increasingly popular game of 3-a-side street basketball faced off on the court of excellence that was created by the street artist Piskv (Francesco Persichella) and constructed using technology and products by MAPEI, technical partner for the event.

A genuine example of urban art, the basketball court in Rome was built thanks to Mapecoat TNS Race Track technology by MAPEI, which allowed the artist to transform his design into a court with particularly high-performance properties, including excellent slip resistance and exceptional aesthetic qualities, and in bright colors that remain durable over time. To complete and fully protect the design, which at around 8,611 square feet (800 m²) is one of the largest of its kind in Europe, the surfaces were also treated with Mapecoat TNS Protection two-component, transparent protective finish.

This project in Scalo San Lorenzo represents another example of the highly fruitful partnership between MAPEI and Red Bull, which has already led to the creation of a court in the Graziella Fava garden in Bologna, with artwork from the Truly Design Crew¹ – a partnership in art and sport that also has considerable social merit. Apart from featuring the creative artwork of young artists, both of these surfaces are located in areas of their respective cities that are being redeveloped, as confirmed by the interest shown by MAPEI and Red Bull in operating in urban contexts to make rundown areas more accessible, safer and more durable.

Unlike systems that simply provide color, Mapecoat TNS Race Track technology creates highly durable, non-slip surfaces that maintain their surface roughness over the years, including in wet weather. From an aesthetic point of view, the wide range of available colors – combined with the other shades that are available using the ColorMap automatic coloring system – allow for the creation of bespoke, personalized colors. Moreover, only with the artistic creativity of MAPEI can colors be created without waste, thanks to the system’s ability to mix numerous different colors in small batches.

MAPEI
Founded in 1937 in Milan, MAPEI is one of the world’s leading producers of chemical products for use in the building industry and has taken part in the construction of the most important architectural works and infrastructure projects at a global level. With 89 subsidiaries located in 57 countries and 81 production facilities operating in 36 countries, the Group has more than 10,600 employees around the world. In 2020, MAPEI Group registered a consolidated turnover of 2.8 billion Euros. The foundations for the success of the company are specialization, internationalization, research & development, and sustainability.

For further information:
MAPEI PRESS OFFICE
Daniela Pradella I d.pradella@mapei.it I 348 2586205 I + 39 02 3767 3374
Angela Bonadimani I a.bonadimani@mapei.it I +39 02 3767 3547

¹An unconventional visual communications studio that is directed by three street artists that have been active on the graffiti scene since 1996: Mauro149, Rems182 and Ninja1.