Jorge Vizcaya, Head of Sports & Entertainment at Sener, recognised as an ENR Newsmaker 2025 for the Bernabéu retractable pitch system

Jorge Vizcaya, Head of Sports & Entertainment at Sener, has been recognised as an ENR Newsmaker 2025 by the prestigious US publication Engineering News-Record (ENR). This magazine, considered an international benchmark in the engineering, architecture and construction sectors, selects each year 25 professionals whose work represents significant advances for the industry. The award was presented on Thursday, 26 March, during a ceremony held in New York. In this edition, Jorge Vizcaya is the only Spanish professional, and one of only two Europeans, featured among the 25 winners.

ENR highlights Jorge Vizcaya’s contribution to the design of the retractable pitch system at the  Bernabéu Stadium, a pioneering solution on an international scale that allows the natural playing surface to be removed and stored in a high‑tech underground hypogeum. This system, based on Hypogea, the retractable turf solution developed by Sener, ensures the protection and optimal maintenance of the pitch and enables the stadium to function as a multipurpose venue throughout the year without compromising the quality of the playing surface.

The project, led by Sener and developed with the participation of professionals from various areas of the company, has been carried out through close multidisciplinary collaboration between engineering and architecture, and in coordination with the stadium owner, design teams and construction companies. This integration has been essential to tailor an unprecedented solution to the Bernabéu’s specific needs and to redefine the way major sports venues are conceived on a global scale.

Following the launch of Hypogea, Sener introduced Epigea, an automated solution that optimises stadium operation through a mobile, retractable roof. Designed for new, existing or under‑construction stadiums, Epigea is fully modular, adaptable to different capacities and compatible with the sporting calendar, as its installation does not interfere with match schedules. In addition to Hypogea and Epigea, Sener is developing other innovations for the sports and entertainment sector, such as Velaria, equipped with agronomic systems to improve the maintenance of natural turf without affecting the playing surface and which complements other event systems; or the pilot project at San Mamés, in collaboration with Athletic Club, which monitors pitch conditions to offer advanced analysis and optimisation tools. Through this suite of solutions, Sener is driving a comprehensive transformation towards more versatile, efficient and technologically advanced stadiums.

For Sener, the recognition awarded by ENR is not only a testament to Jorge Vizcaya’s professional excellence but also a reflection of the joint work of the multidisciplinary teams that have made this innovation possible, further strengthening the company’s position as an international benchmark in technological solutions for the sports and entertainment sector.