The stadium architecture experts aim to create a showcase of views and light
By Herzog & de Meuron
Stamford Bridge, home of the Chelsea Football Club for more than 140 years, is having a complete design overhaul in order to increase spectator capacity at the legendary stadium. Plans have now been submitted to the local council for approval by celebrated architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron, reported Dezeen.
Having built football grounds in Munich, Bordeaux and Basel, as well as the iconic Bird’s Nest stadium, which was used in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Herzog & de Meuron fits the job description well.
The main goal of the stadium revamp is to increase the current spectator capacity of 41,837 to 60,000 to bring it inline with other premiership clubs in the United Kingdom.
But there are issues with the expansion: Stamford Bridge is located in the heart of dense, residential Fulham in central London and a significant extension has the danger of disrupting the local area.
Alternative venues were considered in the wider London area before billionaire Russian owner Roman Abramovich hired Herzog & de Meuron to work alongside London firm Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands to find a solution so they could stay in the area.
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The proposed design has been created to complement the locality with the stadium’s exterior dominated by long and slender brick ribs, which reflect the Victorian and brick architecture of the surrounding buildings, according to Architectural Digest.
The firm explains that the design will “capture the spirit of the local heritage in a contemporary sculpted form that will respond to the local townscape and to neighbours’ views and light.”
Access to public transport will be improved, so as to reduce congestion in the area, and a new concourse will also be built. According to Wired, the new plans sit easily within the existing Stamford Bridge site but the existing stadium will need to be completely demolished.
Once the plans are approved by the local council, it is thought that Chelsea will play their home matches at London’s Wembley Stadium during construction.
The new stadium is slated to debut in 2020.
Source : property-report.com
Read more…Team behind Beijing’s ‘Bird’s Nest’ tapped to redesign iconic UK stadium
