Norfolk Scope

Norfolk Scope is a multi-purpose arena in downtown Norfolk, Virginia, hosting concerts, sporting events, and exhibitions under a wide-span concrete shell. The structure rests on twenty-four angled supports that carry the roof from the outside, giving the building its distinctive profile.

The arena opened in the early 1970s as part of a downtown renewal program following World War II. Italian engineer Pier Luigi Nervi designed the shell roof, which remains one of the largest of its kind to this day.

Locals call the building

A multi-level parking garage sits directly beside the main entrance and accommodates hundreds of vehicles. Seating inside can be reconfigured depending on the event, ranging from a few thousand to over ten thousand spectators.

The thin concrete shell of the roof weighs significantly less than conventional steel structures of comparable size despite its span. Nervi developed a special formwork technique for this project that was later imitated worldwide.

Location: Norfolk

Inception: November 12, 1971

Architects: Pier Luigi Nervi

Official opening: November 12, 1971

Capacity: 8701

Part of: Hampton Roads Music Venues

GPS coordinates: 36.85330,-76.28670

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:25