Stadium Story

Page 1

stadium story an icon in europe


Š Lauren Teague, 2015 P repared P rinted

for

by

BA[Hons ] I nterior Architecture

Nevex, London

F ront Cover : London Road, 2012 P eterborough United Football Club P hotographer: J oe Dent C ontent Page: Estadio Municipal De B raga, Portugal Designed B y : E duardo Souto De Moura P hotographer: LuĂ­s Ferreira Alves I mage Source: T he Pritzker Architecture Prize P ersonal

thanks to and

Paul Ring and Mum for their To P eter Winterburn

proof reading and feedback .

for bringing me chocolate on deadline morning and especially to my

D ad

for taking me to my first

football stadium at the age of

U p The Posh.

11

days .


stadium story an icon in europe



5

content

conclusion

6 8 13 22 30 32 40 45

bibliography

48

introduction ancient history modern generations case study : santiago bernabeu place case study : wembley stadium the future


6

“Icon:

a person or thing that is uncritically adored , revered or

admired , or is regarded as a symbol of a particular culture or sphere , etc ; an idol � (Chambers Dictionary)


7

introduction

A

stadium is a tiered infrastructure built

Architecture P rofessor B enjamin F lowers

B ased

for the purpose of enabling a large volume

notes the absence of written literature

a

of

accepting the stadium as a fundamental

under

spectators

to

witness

a

live

event

taking place in front of them ; it brings together

a

community

of

like - minded

in

architectural

history .

Despite

this , many critics think of the stadium

architectural scrutiny .

intention examine

of the

It

as

comes

therefore ,

the

investigation

to

of

the

stadium

in

quasi - religious qualities that encourage

or

is often typecast as a venue for sporting

supporters to revisit the same place week

valued or even considered by its users .

events .

after week .

By

this

is

unfairly

F lowers

“One purpose [ of

describes the

the

twenty - first

container

is ,

this place

stadium

an architectural typology , reality ,

cathedral ”, drawing upon the

the

as the

In

“new

mere

notion ,

this

individuals in an interactive setting .

‘the

As stadium ’

icon

on

not

its

century

and

architectural

whether

merits

are

studying the motivation for stadium

inconclusive , as the capabilities of these

seemingly

vast structures extend widely beyond this

the stadium ]: to house the pitch on which

possible to determine the importance of its

reach to play host to a variety of social

the game is played and the spectators

construction and position as an icon of

outcomes , from concerts to conventions .

who wish to watch ”.

urban architecture in

the

However,

it is undeniably the sporting

on

straightforward

T his may be true in most literal sense . H owever , he goes to rationalise that , in reality , “T he

world in which the stadium has found its

meaning attached to a stadium is often

most comfortable home .

far more complicated ”

(F lowers,

no date ).

development

throughout

history ,

Europe.

it

is


8

figure

1

T he archaeological remains of the O lympia Hippodrome [G reece] date back to 776BC and hosted the original O lympic G ames until they were

ancient history

T he

first known example of ‘ the stadium ’ as

a conceptual mass , originated in

A ncient ‘stadium’ or

G reece, where “T he word ‘stadion’ referred to [both] a measurement of distance [ equal to approximately 200 m on foot ] and the place where the race was held and observed by spectators ” (A non : no date ). A t this point , the understood requirement of ‘ the stadium ’ as an typology was the enabling of a congregation to experience a mutually enjoyable event .

B roadcast

activities typically ranged from

political debate to theatrical performance , with the main purpose simply being to provide a platform for the general public to

engage

2010). In

a the

(F rank & S teets : beginning , the stadium was crowd

a completely open track with a start and finish line

32 m ,

192 m

apart with a width of

leaving the audience outcast around

the perimeter .

It

was thought to have held

40 000

spectators on

the surrounding slopes which overlooked the simple track .


figure

9

2

C onjectured

plan

of

the

Olympia Hippodrome, [left].

showing the participant entrance


10

figure

3

Artistic

illustration of

The Panathenaic S tadium ,

showing the growing slopes of the spectator steps in conjunction with the surrounding site .

During the subsequent reign Empire, the focus of the

R oman

of the

stadium

was

directed further towards satisfying the needs of the spectator , providing them with entertainment of an often brutal nature .

T hought to have begun the roots of ‘fan culture ’, supporters began to choose sides when competitors were forced against each other in the arena .

T his

caused a different sort of atmosphere

to that previously experienced within

T his

changed

popular .

as

T he

sport

became

P anathenaic

[Athens, G reece]

dates back to

more

S tadium 330BC

growth

of

the

built

environment ,

with

minimal additional excavation disrupting the site .

T he new, wider U- shaped enclosure known as ‘T he H ippodrome ’ and

and was developed from the topography

became

of

the

allowed an open structure at one end for

hillside

the entry of horses and chariots which , by

so that banks of seats with good sight

this time , had become an engaging spectator

lines could be formed naturally ”

sport .

the

I lisos

et

al :

generic

valley

river ,

2007, G reek

either

“C ut

p .3).

out

side of

T his

the

of

(J ohn

followed

Observers

were

strategically

the

positioned along the longest sides of the

style of encouraging the

track , where they were considered to be ‘ out

use of the landscape as a tool for the

of the way ’.

stadia .

In

were utilised during this period :

(a

G reek

essence , two major typologies

T he

circus

G reek hippodrome) and the amphitheatre . T he C ircus M aximus [R ome, I taly] indicates an early example of development of the

the use separate of exterior and interior spacial

concepts

experience .

within

the

stadium


figure

S ite the

4

11

sketch indicating the location and scale of

Colosseum

and

Circus Maximus

venues in

Rome.


12

F ollowing the demise of the Roman Empire, Western society moved into an obsession with C hristianity , subsequently shifting the focus of architects to the church . I t is accepted that the construction

to hold local events in the streets , with

S porting

the boundaries between participants and

industrial

spectators

as football , cricket and rugby

of

a physical act

stadia

was

abandoned

fifteen centuries and so

for

“T he

the

next

stadium as

neglected

indifference .

2010,

to

the

point

of

S hulke (F rank & S teets :

pp .56-73) argues that sport as

spaces ” ( p .57).

“Does In

not need special

other words , the desire

were

culture

developed

revolution

codified

to

and

after

the

(such football )

sports

nationally

recognised

competitive games , with set rules .

T his

increased the interest in spectating for pleasure .

The subsequent development of the

a building category lapsed into oblivion ”

of a public audience to spectate a sporting

stadium to facilitate such activities became

(S heard: 2005, pg .103). This is not to say , however , that competitive sporting events no longer took place . R esidents

event does not rely on the existence of

necessary alongside the movement of sport

a purpose - built building and often took

from an all - inclusive leisure activity to

place in spaces built for other uses , such

that of a competitive , professional nature .

of modern cities took it upon themselves

as town squares .


figure

5

C onjectured

13 plan

of

the

Olympia Hippodrome, [left].

showing the participant entrance

modern generations

I n the wake of this new era, the construction on the C hamp de M ars [P aris , F rance ] in 1790 is regarded as the first purposebuilt multifunctional modern stadium . T his escalated the desire , once again , to build arenas for use by the masses . A lthough it was not constructed as a sporting arena

(more

so as a political base for mass use ),

this historical precedent shows the first revival of the stadium as a public building .

I ts

central location within the city showed

its importance as an architectural venue .


14

As

the public demand for sport as a mass

of

the

European city and transport , which meant

modern

the

spectating activity began its revival , the

expansion of

nineteenth

the public was more able to travel cross -

century

saw

the

growth

of

the stadium as it is known and accepted

country .

today .

were becoming of national interest , with

The

boundary between

‘those

who

Even

that

at this time , sports stadia

played and those who watched ’ became more

“Football

distinguished

only place in town outsiders would visit ”

payment

to

and

it

was

professional

realised sports

that

players

ground [ s ]

(B ale: 1995,

often

pg .222).

It

[being ]

the

was inevitable

could be generated by charging spectators

that the stadium would continue to develop

an entrance fee for the entertainment .

as the needs of the spectator changed .

T his,

in turn , forced the need for the dedicated

With

sports ground as a defined enclosure .

stage development plan for the subsequent

this ,

S heard

puts forward a five -

‘Generations Of S tadia’, In

addition to the evolving of construction

materials

and

methods ,

the

industrial

revolution also brought about the growth

of

the

way

in

as an observation

which

outside

factors

have contributed to the advancement of the

stadium

as

its

“Between 1889

own

building

and

type .

1910,

fifty - eight

Football League

clubs

moved into the stadiums that most of them continue to use today ” (Bale: 1995,

pg .221).


figure

6

Queens Park Rangers [QPR] FC’s Loftus Road ground dates back to 1904, although the football club weren ’ t to move in until S eptember 1917.

first generation

In

order to accommodate the growing

number

of

sports

first

the

early

in

spectators , stages

of

the

stadium

development introduced the grandstand ; this was usually placed at the finishing line

of

sporting

athletics ),

activity

allowing

viewers

( primarily to

gain

an immediate result to any given race .

L ittle

consideration was made towards

public

comfort

or

amenities .

O pen

terraces became a standard feature of grounds ,

sports

with

“G randstands

fashioned from brick , iron and timber

[ and ]

corrugated iron sheets providing

overhead protection from the elements ”

(S heard

et al :

2005,

pg .103).

The

image

shows

the

surrounding

three

sides

traditional of

the

open pitch,

terracing as

well

QPR’s previous ground at Royal Park (Aerofilms: 2010, pg.137). as

the

cover

brought

to

the

site

from


16

However,

while the simplicity of the open -

“With no architectural value� (worldstadiums.com , no date) was being utilised across G reat B ritain , architects in E urope were already beginning to air ground

imagine the potential of the stadium as an influential building category .

T he M unicipal S tadium [Florence, I taly] was

designed

by

engineering

P ierre Luigi Nervi . While

enthusiast

the thematic

concept of the stadium is very similar to that of the

B ritish Grandstand,

the detail

and construction involved was of a much higher scale .

This

began to pave the way

for a more aesthetically interesting way of looking at the stadium environment .


figure

7

C onstructed 1930-32, the Florence Municipal S tadium appears to be ahead of the times against the typical grandstand ( as seen at L oftus R oad ) with its sweeping cantilevered roof structure and highly elevated terracing levels .


figure

8

T he Alfred Mc Alpine S tadium level

of

stadium

inspired a higher

construction

forefront of architectural design .

generation

of

commercial

stadia

brought

take

the

T he

opportunities to incorporate merchandising , food

unusual shape

courts and recreational areas without the enclosed

Huddersfield

environment to provide a public arena for more than

and enhanced facilities brought the stadium into the spotlight .

T he

to

to

just a once - a - week sport venue .


19

second generation

While is

‘television

the

thought

cricket ,

third generation

to

age ’ of the

have

saved

1950 s

sports

like

Prior

to the

1990 s ,

catastrophic events

were becoming a regular occurrence at

I n 1995, the Alfred Mc Alpine S tadium (home to Huddersfield T own F ootball C lub and R ugby L eague C lub ) became the first stadium to receive the prestigious ‘RIBA B uilding O f T he Y ear ’ (The S tirling P rize since 1996) A ward . C hosen by RIBA P resident O wen Luder , he stated that “A decade ago , it would not be possible to

the provision of artificial

UK. C rowd disorder and hooliganism was becoming uncontrollable . T he 1985 fire at V alley P arade [B radford FC] spread across the wooden terraces within minutes , claiming the lives of 56 fans . I n April 1989, 96 Liverpool supporters were killed at H illsborough S tadium [S heffield Wednesday FC] when

became

overcrowding in the terraces resulted in

an excellence in design award ”

hundreds of fans being crushed .

1995).

Investigations

T he

it

also

seemingly

caused

a

decline in attendances at stadia hosting other

sports .

S uddenly,

the

aesthetic

appearance of the stadium was being taken into consideration , as it would now be seen by more people than just those who already attended regardless . a

normal

night matches to be

In

addition ,

[flood]lighting expectation , allowing shown on screen .

T his second generation became as ‘T he E quipped S tatdium ’, due

known to the

enhancement of comfort and the overall experience stadia

for

were

facilites internally ,

and

visitors .

M any

existing

upgraded

with

additional

became

more

marvellous

despite

still

anonymous from the outside .

being

fairly

sports stadia in the

were performed to isolate the

find a football stadium that warranted a second glance , let alone one that had won

(Luder :

stadium was one of the first to be built

Taylor Report

problems in stadium safety and the findings

after the writing of the

Taylor Report. Although aimed primarily at stadia in the UK, it wasn’t long before the concern for spectator safety reached the rest of Europe

and fully embraced the new legislation

and grounds everywhere were incorporating

G reat B ritain

full seating and more accessibility throughout.

of on the urban landscape of the city .

were subsequently released in the

within its design , rather than seeing it as an obstacle . thought of

S uddenly, stadia were being as ‘ serious architecture ’ in and something to be proud


20

fourth generation

S heard

degrades the

fifth generation

Fourth Generation

All

of this happened as part of a wider

T he Fifth G eneration

stadium

is

the

“Direct result of the demands TV” (2005, pg .115) More- so

commercial desire to show the architecture

destination of the twenty - first century .

as more than just a stereotypical conrete

T his

than ever , this shows how the stadium is

container , unsympathetic to the needs of

reputation of its occupant and location .

able to provide an outwards representation

its

of the city to a wider audience .

Under

extended past the merchandise stall to the

scrutiny to be more than a live spectator

corporate environment of sponsorship and

At

experience , the stadium came was relied

advertising .

possible

stadium as a of satellite

upon

to

showcase

the

most

occupants .

M arketing

opportunities

M ore

than ever before , the stadium seemed

to ignore its architectural potential and

It

is at this point that the concept of

the flexible stadium came to light

-

the

ability to convert the main field of play into a concert venue or convention centre .

A

stadium which cannot just blend in . this

point , by

almost way

of

anything

seems

architectural

construction and a stadium ’ s design is

positive

attributes of a consumer - friendly space .

is a stadium which must uphold the

exploited the financial benefits of showing

[such as retractable roofs and removable seats ] to maximise the useful life of the venue . off new technologies

“The

limited only by the imagination of the architect .

John B ale describes spectator sports as “C entral features of modern urban society ” (B ale : 1993, pg .9) and , as such , the desire for new facilities generates the need for new architecture .

presence of the stadium as an illuminated body that can

change its appearance and is situated in an open landscape , the procession - like arrival of fans and the crater - like interior ” (Herzong + De Meuron

on the

Allianz Arena)


figure

9

T he Allianz Arena [Munich] illuminated in one of many optional colours . V iewable from any elevation and completely unobstructed .

With

seemingly

little

sympathy

to

its

immediate surroundings , the designed by

Herzog

Allianz Arena, + D e Meuron, makes

its presence known through its brightly lit

ETFE

exterior and is known more as

a beacon of the area than for its quality as a sports facility .

This

isn ’ t to say that

the arena lacks in quality but its iconic nature relies upon its physical aesthetic .

T he

debate is whether looking impressive is

a solid enough basis for determining the quality of a stadium .

Ergo,

the exterior

vs interior argument should be considered as much as the contextual environment in which the venue resides .

21


22

case study : el stadio santiago bernabeu

R eal M adrid CF [F ootball C lub ; Madrid, S pain] was formed in 1902, at which point land which they rented from its owner .

I n 1923, the O’Donnell land was sold and R eal M adrid were forced to find a new place to play . T he football club moved briefly into the V elodrome at C iudad L ineal

F ans

before employing an architect to build

they played their matches on a plot of

gathered around the playing fields

(T he Old C harmartin) a capacity for 15 000 fans , where stayed for the next 23 years .

to watch the games and a nearby building

their own stadium

was used for storage and player facilities .

with they

As

the popularity of the club grew, the need

for a new ground was accommodated by a move

Although

O’Donnell, where two house 6 000 fans) and a

(to

interest would have been created by the

fencing surround

success of the team , the development of

to

grandstands

part of the increase in public

were built to separate the athletes from the

the ground ties in with the

spectators around the full perimeter of the

C ulture

playing surface.

terraces built at

This

was the club’s first

of

the

1900 s and O ld C harmartin

early

T he

G randstand the echo

enclosed ground, as part of a generation

the traditional ground with three open

that saw clubs move away from playing on

sides and one main stand with a pitched

expanses of grass in the middle of nowhere.

roof .


figure

10

T he Estrada Lot . O pen

figure land used for competing .

11

T he team ’ s first dedicated Segregation introduced between G eneration 1.

23 pitch

at

O’Donnell.

supporters and athletes.


24

figure

12

G radas del Nuevo Chamartin G eneration 2.

T he stadium ’ s capacity was enlarged to 25 000 in 1939, after the damage caused by the S panish C ivil W ar made a restoration project a necessity . F or the first time , the terraces surrounding 360 o of the playing field and had more space to move around and enjoy watching the sport without feeling compromised by the environment .

When

the stadium ’ s capacity was still not

enough to cope with the spectator demand , the stadium went through a second phase of construction .

Now

equipped with the latest

in modern amenities , the ground was still lacking a roof structure and seating .

T his European stadia apart in the UK at the time .

is what sets the from those built

figure en obras .

13

Encuentro en el Santiago B ernabeu . G eneration 3.


25

C oinciding

1982 World C up, made , including the

with the

rennovations

were

construction of a roof and installation of seats in half of the stadium . how important it was for

T his shows R eal Madrid to

have their arena shown off to its full potential for the sake of the television broadcast

and

spectators

of

competing

countries .

By

1990 s , the stadium was required to become an all - seater [ mirroring the T aylor R eport released in the UK]. S o as not to reduce the capactiy by over 60%, a full the

redevelopment program was established and corporate facilities came to the

In

B ernabeu .

addition , the four towers in the corners

of the stadium were built at this time .


figure

14

P anoramic

view of the

[2014]. 4.

current form

G eneration

S antiago B ernabeu

in its


27


28

figure

15

C onstruction

sequence

of

the

new

B ernabeu ,

indicating the discreet nature in which the existing site in concealed .

F ew

external

changes

have

been

made

T he

latest design for rennovation to the

B ernabeu since this stage. T he interior , however , tells a different story . Despite the demand for match tickets in the 90 000 seater stadium , a monumental portion of the ground ’ s spacial allowance is given over to the tourism accrued . A n extensive museum depicts the club ’ s history and acheivements , the stadium tour opens

existing building consists of an enveloping

up the player changing rooms and the

standing proud with no excuses as well as

pitchside itself to public invasion and

fulfilling its functional needs .

the the

skin wrapped around the full site . images projected onto the shiny

With surface ,

this venue is making a conscious effort to entice the passers - by with sharp graphics and novel ideas . modest classic

S tanding out against its surroundings , the B ernabeu is a example of an iconic development ;

the merchandise store extends over three floors .

C ritically ,

the four corner towers will be

retained and unaffected by the new cladding ,

This

shows how stereotypically important the

which not only makes construction cheaper

consumer-friendly, flexible stadium has become

and more simple , but also holds onto some

in modern society.

main sporting event

of the stadium ’ s previous identity rather

is almost on a par of importance with the

than ignoring the historical value of what

activities that can take place off the field.

already exists .

The


figure

T he

16

new

B ernabeu . G eneration 5.

29


30

place

It

is not the architecture of the stadium

alone that draws the masses to it .

T he

historical value and emotional connotation of any built environment is enough to warrant an attachment to a place . geographer

Yi -F u Tuan

A merican

John B ale in

reconstructs

presentation

of

his

Tuan’ s

argument

own

five - point

‘sporting spaces and emotional attachment ’. F ocusing on the ‘ sense of place ’ for the spectator , he pursues : theory of

explores the genius

loci of place and its connection with

– He calls this ‘Topophilia’; “T ies that unite humans and their material surroundings , especially [those] that combine emotion and place” (B ale & M oen: 1995, pg .26). human society

to experience the

M irroring

“The stadium as a sacred place, The stadium as a scenic space, The stadium as home, The stadium as a tourist place, Place, pride and local patriotism”

back to the original use of the

stadium as a communal meeting space ,

(Williams & Wagg: 1992).


31

T he

primary

function

of

the

[sports ]

M any

regular stadium users comment on

T he

historical

meaning

of

the

stadium

stadium as an architectural space is to

the ability to ‘ leave real life behind them ’,

to the spectator could be said to hold

facilitate the participation and spectating

as the only thing that matters at that

more

of a event .

moment in time is what is happening on

architectural

As

an iconic mass on the urban

landscape , its presence makes itself known for miles around .

However,

the

playing

surface

in

front

them .

of

it is upon close

Despite G oldberger ’ s

greatest of experiences present themselves .

new is often hard to accept ”, describing

G oldberger

it

will

almost

always

“I nterior

provoke

a

space

greater

as

seemingly

suggestion that

“U gly,

only seldom seen as

“T he

[and] beautiful ” (2009, coarse

emotional response than the outside of a

pg .48), it is not unusual for stadium

building does ”

architecture to be adapted and renewed .

(2009,

pg .111).

is not a new revelation .

Even

when

that

and ,

of

its

subsequently ,

the prospect of a newly built environment

redevelopment of the traditional

T his

In

some

circumstances ,

replacement

(often

‘home’.

brings forward the questioning of

priority

-

the idea that the place name and

the ritual of attending this place holds more importance that the place itself .

Equally , T his

than

value

is often less attractive than that of the

proximity with the environment that the

claims that

importance

the

an outsider to the city appreciates

iconography

of

stadia

-

tourists

G reek

outside of the city it unites , due to lack of

C amp S tadium

infrastructure ).

their guided tour as

G audi ’ s

visitors to such venues often publicise

S agrada

as it has become part

their own opinions on stadium alteration .

of the cultural landscape .

describe

R oman Empires , Frank & S teets

“T he

that outside atmospheres ”

world inside these stadia and

[as ] two completely (2010, pg .50).

different

However,

the most regular

de

will find that the

Nou

stadia are built at a new location

and

visiting

B arcelona

referring to the historical stadia of the

is just as much a part of

F amilia],

cathedral

[La


32

figure

T he

17

first version of

Wembley

stadium shows its

multifunctional use with the running track circling the perimeter of the playing field .

case study : wembley stadium

Wembley Stadium [London, UK] is indisputably one of the most famous stadia in the world. Despite its most renowned use as a football and entertainment (concert) venue, Wembley has hosted sixteen different sporting events throughout

its

history,

from

greyhound

racing and hockey to wrestling and baseball

(Tonsett & Brand: 2007). Originally constructed in 1924 as part of the city’s rehabilitation project, the stadium was seen for some time as inadequate to the comforts of the spectator and has, therfore, undergone various developments in its history.


figure

18

T hroughout

33 the

development

environment , the two towers fixture in the

of

[left] stadium ’ s identity .

the

internal

are a prominent


34

figure

T he

By

1990 s

the early

19

two towers of

Wembley ,

prior to demolition .

it became inevitable

that the whole stadium would need to be entirely replaced :

Wembley

stadium was

being shown up by other more modern venues and constant expansions of the ground

[most

noticeably the change from standing

to seated terracing ] had left the building old and tired .

C hanges

T aylor Report

in legislation post -

also meant that further

expansion was needed to accommodate lack of overall space at the site .

It

as

mentality of the

F oster & P artners , LOBB and HOK Architects] that the G rade II listed structures would be saved . H owever , with the permission of E nglish H eritage , it was

-

ultimately agreed that the overwhelming

iconic impact on the city of

size of the new stadium would overpower the

new stadium would provide comfort and

T owers,

“U nnecessarily

spectator facilities on a level that could

part of footballing folklore across the

inhibiting factor ” in the design of the

never have been matched by its previous

globe ”

new construction

counterpart .

intention of the architects involved with

pg .31).

sustain its emotional value and nostalgic

the project [ a compilation of persons from

was described in early sketch drawings

stands to reason that older generations

of spectator initially failed to embrace the

as of

‘knock

it

down

and

start

again ’

Wembley S tadium rebuild Twin Towers were labelled “Quintessential [to the] experience going to W embley [ and had ] become

the famous

(News: 2003). I t

was initially the

which would be an

I ts

(Foster & I nglis : 2012, replacement , the W embley arch ,

‘T he New Symbol Of Wembley ’. This shows how critical it was , even in the early design process , to recognise the significance of this sporting venue and its

importance .

M ore

London. T he

crucially ,

it

would


figure

20

Design illustrations by Norman F oster likening the new W embley arch to such icons as the E iffel tower in its cultural significance .

35


figure

21

T he ‘New Wembley ’ S tadium

is prominent from miles

around with the iconic arch showing off its location around the clock .




figure

22

Wembley

39

stadium interior view .

P rofessional

A dam B artlett Wembley as “A sense

goalkeeper

describes playing at

of achievement ” at the end of a successful

- “Y ou

season

need to earn the chance to

play under the arch ”

(2015). T he emotional

famed the

‘Wembley

architectural

Experience’ value and ,

outlives while

the

design of the new stadium may be a feat in

constructional

technology ,

it

goes

potentially unnoticed by the masses .

connotation of the venue is so strong that it is likely to be present regardless of the

Despite

physical aesthetic .

association

T his

is evident through

the stadium ’ s historical precedence .

If

the

stadium

itself

looked

entirely

different , it would hold no less importance to its audience .

S omehow,

“Growing

the ineffable and

change

in

appearance,

up , it ’ s where you watched your heroes play ; is not just a

the

attached to visiting Wembley Stadium, whether as a spectator or participant, seems not to have altered. In this instance, the ‘sense of place’ extends past the concept of ‘home’ and becomes a more powerful emotion drawn out by the promise of success.

‘One day that will be me’. stadium - it ’ s THE stadium ”

watching cup finals thinking

Wembley

its

(Adam Bartlett: 2015)


40

the future

While lives ,

Olympic

continually with stadia constructed for

(after a short list of five final candidates ). T hroughout the document of evaluation for suitability , the London C ommission emphasised the games as a “C atalyst for the redevelopment [...]

one - off events , such as the

rehabilitation

that of temporary architectural structures

many stadia live long and happy serving the community as a staple

icon on the urban landscape , others fall into disuse and dilapidation .

T his

Olympic

occurs games .

approval of the panel

in

In

the modern

World,

it is no longer

acceptable for a stadium to be built , used

regeneration

East London� (pg .64),

as

project well

as

considering the positive impact for the future of sport in

Great B ritain.

and then abandoned . a bid to host the with

London

Nine cities put in 2012 O lympic Games ,

and

ultimately

winning

the

venues was that of sustainability

the prospect that each work of architecture would have an equally useful life after the closing of the of the

G ames . The

London Olympic

philosophy

venues resembled

and could prove a key movement in the future of the stadium .

I deally ,

this would

reduce the number of venues left abandoned and wasted after the

However,

–

G ames ,

despite the

substantial

promises made and the substantial amounts

promises made for the construction of the

of money spent on design and construction .

one

of

the

most


figure

23

Athens [2004]

figure softball stadium is now overrun

with weeds and abandoned due to lack of interest in the sport since the

Olympics .

T he

24

surrounding

41 Olympic V illage

was destined to be

turned into social housing but this never happened and the whole area lies practically deserted .

“It

is not abandoned .

It’s

just

that nobody ever plays softball .

[This]

sums up the problem with these stadiums � (Business Insider: 2014)


figure

25

T he new West Ham stadium converted from the Olympic S tadium after the London 2012 G ames , shown in athletics format [ top ] and football venue [below].

S ignificant

London

Rio.

C healsea FC are in the search for a new stadium . B attersea P ower S tation is a G rade II listed building in London, UK. T he football club were hoping to create an

the permanent fixtures which remain ,

iconic statement within the parameters of a

parts of the

venue

schedule of accommodation were constructed with

the intention

shipping off to the

Of

various

of

dismounting

2016 O lympics await .

futures

Of

in

and

particular

O lympic S tadium , by W est H am U nited

significance is the main which has been bought

F ootball C lub and will be rennovated time for the 2016/17 season .

in

proposed stadium insertion .

Although

their

bid for the power station was ultimately unsuccessful , the principal of reusing an existing building to house a sport venue is both unusual and intriguing .

As

a rule ,

stadia are purpose - built arenas .

T his

venue , too , was originally intended to

be of temporary existence , despite the hefty

However,

ÂŁ429 m

it will now

design calls for aesthetically iconic consideration

continue to operate as a multi - functional

then something as unique as adaptation of an

status

pricetag .

[hosting ÂŁ154 m

due to a

However, football

and

athletics ]

conversion project which

if the latest generation of stadium

existing historical site potentially falls within this category.

adds a retractable roof and additional

building

permanent seating .

ultimate

Additionally, this puts an old to good use, rather than expecting the abandonment of a new one.


figure

26

I nterior render [unrealised] of the design for C helsea FC’ s new stadium at the site of B attersea P ower Station.

figure

27

Areal

view showing the insertion of the stadium

intervention between the existing towers .

43


44

S hulke

challenges the architectural future

of the stadium in accordance with the growing appreciation of

[PV]

struggle in this sense , however , is the

lacking of an interior environment .

Additionally ,

As

traditional

venues

technological viewing and more extreme

‘Public V iewing’

sports ,

the

traditional

stadium

could

struggle

appreciated at the

This theory implies that the topophilic qualities of the stadium reside within the individual’s

C up

ability to engage with the activity taking

New,

stadium is to facilitate the needs of the

place on an emotional level, regardless of the

growing in popularity and this is proven by

spectator to engage with the live sporting

connection to the physical environment.

the interest in T he

event , then the

describes a situation in which the stadium as

[European

this

an architectural icon ceases to exist and is

inspire a new generation to participate in

commitment , by providing an atmospheric

replaced by the electronic capturing of an

winter sports , such as snowboarding and

condition that equals that of the stadium

event taking place in a remote environment,

skiing , which cannot physically take place

interior .

questioning the necessity for the containing

within the boundaries of a sterotypically

of an audience at all.

enclosed stadium environment .

spaces

in

adequate

T he

a phenomenon first fully

2006 [F ootball] World G ermany . I f the purpose of the

in

PV

its

P ublic Viewing

platform is just as

ability

to

fulfil

Shulke

to

compete

with

the

cultural

movement towards this new type of event . less limiting sporting events are

Winter O lympics in S ochi R ussia, 2014], which is set to

increases the accessibility

of sport to the spectator by providing a stage of action that does not require stadium attendance . large

screens

in

S howing

town

matches on

squares

enables

flexibility of movement and nods back to the roots of spectator sports before the introduction of purpose - built architecture .

“Bringing

crowds

of

people

together is a privilege ” (Shulke: 2010)


45

conclusion

On the importance of sports architecture, R od Sheard puts forward his argument by stating that “T he greatest buildings , the ‘icons ’, have always reflected the zeitgeist . And right now, the zeitgeist is sport ” (2005: pg .20). T he

relevance of the stadium as an urban

landmark is implicated by its connection to an audience

T hroughout

the sports spectator .

historical precedence and five

[modern]

subsequent generations of stadia

(S heard: 2005), This

experience

for

both

spectator

and

participant .

S heard

struggle

for

by the intended user .

“S tatus

and

used once a week is perhaps more important

deserve

within

and worthy , therefore , than one which is

the architectural establishment ”

(2001,

used intermittently over a period of time .

sport

also venues

creditability

notes to

the

gain

that

they

the

pg . xiii ).

always the

case .

I n fact , this was not T he Panathenaic Stadion

of

G reece

Ancient

was considered of such importance

as an entertainment arena that it began the tradition of competitive sports and was subsequently redeveloped in order to host

has

The

truly come to light when they are occupied

sports

development

or that it is considered irrelevant .

architectural merits of any space most

the stadium has

provided an appropriate arena for communal activity .

the

the first modern

In

A

stadium which is

attending to this theory ,

Goldberger “When we see a concert hall empty , after hours , we can appreciate its physical form , but we see it as a vacuum , cut off from its purpose , and thus we barely see it at all ” (2009, pg .16). declares that

Olympic Games . While

always

a stadium like

Wembley

might possess

coincided with the changing needs of the

M ore

often than not , the historical value

a faerie - tale quality in the imaginations

sporting world : as spectator sports evolved

and ineffable qualities of the stadium hold

of those who can only dream of seeing the

more importance to the average spectator

iconic arch of

than its architectural character .

u

of the experience is heightened when the

events ,

does not , however , mean that supporters

community joins together to appreciate the

enhance

are not impressed by the stadium ’ s design

spectacle that is ‘ match day ’.

from

fights

in

amphitheatres ,

through

cricket and athletics in grandstands , to multipurpose facilities for the

stadium

has

Olympic

expanded

to

T his

Wembley S tadium ,

the awe


figure

28

Herzog + D e Meuron: T he Allianz Arena, M unich.



48

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Available at: http://www.thefa.com/news/2014/may/remembering-bradford-stadium-disaster (Accessed: 2 January 2015). Thompson, P., Tolloczko, J., Clarke, N. and Benedetti, J. (1998) Stadia, Arenas and Grandstands: Designing, Construction and Operation. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis. Tomsett, P. and Brand, C. (2007) Wembley: Stadium of Legends. United Kingdom: Dewi Lewis Media Ltd. Vertinsky, P., Bale, J., Mangan, J. A. and Mangan, J. A. (2004) Sites of Sport: Space, Place and Experience( Sport In The Global Society Series). Taylor & Francis, Inc. Williams (1991) British Football and Social Change. Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd. Williams, J. and Wagg, S. (1992) British Football and Social Change. Leicester Univ Pr. (no date a). World Stadiums - Architecture :: Stadium history. Available at: http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_menu/architecture/historic_stadiums.shtml (Accessed: 2 January 2015). (no date b). My Website. Available at: http://www.panathenaicstadium.gr/ThePanathenaicStadium/History/tabid/96/language/en-US/Default.aspx (Accessed: 18 November 2014). 35 (no date a). L35: Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Available at: http://www.l35.com/en/proyecto.php?id_prj=249 (Accessed: 4 January 2015). L35 (no date b). L35: Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Available at: http://www.l35.com/en/proyecto.php?id_prj=249 (Accessed: 2 January 2015). Luder, O. (1995) ‘Prize Day’, RIBA RIBA Journal. Luder, O., Riba and Council, S. (1990) Sports stadia after Hillsborough: papers presented at the Seminar held at the Royal Institute of British Architects, 66 Portland Place London W1, on Thursday 29 March 1990. United Kingdom: Royal Institute of British Architects (and) the Sports Council in association with the Football Trust. Macey, S., Macey, S. and Gilles, R. (2009) H-point: The Fundamentals of Car Design and Packaging. United States: Art Center College of Design. Marg, V. and Marg, V. (2006) Sportstatten-architektur by GMP: Stadium Choreography. Germany: Hatje Cantz Publishers. Michael, S. and Sam, M. (2010) Sport in the City: Cultural Connections. Taylor & Francis. News (2003) ‘Last day for Wembley twin towers’, 7 February. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-159090/Last-day-Wembley-twin-towers.html (Accessed: 4 January 2015). Olmo, C. and al, et (2011) Pier Luigi Nervi: Architecture as a Challenge. Italy: Silvana. Pascoe, J. and Culley, P. (2012) Sports facilities and technologies. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis, Inc. Realmadridcf (2014) ‘Extra Time: Real Madrid unveil the new Santiago Bernabeu stadium’. Extra Time: Real Madrid unveil the new Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Abo2cw4Pzgk (Accessed: 4 January 2015). Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (no date). Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. Available at: http://www.rsh-p.com/render.aspx?siteID=1 (Accessed: 4 January 2015). Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (no date). Estadio Santiago Bernabéu History | Real Madrid CF. Available at: http://www.realmadrid.com/en/history/santiago-bernabeu-stadium (Accessed: 18 November 2015). Sheard, R. (2000) Sports Architecture. Taylor & Francis, Inc. Sheard, R., Bingham-Hall, P., Bingham-Hall, P., Cook, P. and Powell, R. (2005) Stadium: Architecture for the New Global Culture. Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd. Sheard, R., Cook, P. and Powell, R. (2005) The stadium: architecture for the new global culture. Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd. SpA, M. E., Leoni, G. and Esposito, A. (2004) Eduardo Souto De Moura: Works and Projects. United Kingdom: Distributed by Phaidon Press. Stadium (no date). Stadium. Available at: http://www.ancient.eu/Stadium/ (Accessed: 15 November 2014). ‘stadium | architecture’ (2014) Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica. Available at: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/562319/stadium (Accessed: 4 January 2015). TheFA (no date). Remembering the 1985 Bradford City stadium disaster. Available at: http://www.thefa.com/news/2014/may/remembering-bradford-stadium-disaster (Accessed: 2 January 2015). Thompson, P., Tolloczko, J., Clarke, N. and Benedetti, J. (1998) Stadia, Arenas and Grandstands: Designing, Construction and Operation. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis. Tomsett, P. and Brand, C. (2007) Wembley: Stadium of Legends. United Kingdom: Dewi Lewis Media Ltd. Vertinsky, P., Bale, J., Mangan, J. A. and Mangan, J. A. (2004) Sites of Sport: Space, Place and Experience( Sport In The Global Society Series). Taylor & Francis, Inc. Williams (1991) British Football and Social Change. Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd. Williams, J. and Wagg, S. (1992) British Football and Social Change. Leicester Univ Pr. (no date a). World Stadiums - Architecture :: Stadium history. Available at: http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_menu/architecture/historic_stadiums.shtml (Accessed: 2 January 2015). (no date b). My Website. Available at: http://www.panathenaicstadium.gr/ThePanathenaicStadium/History/tabid/96/language/en-US/Default.aspx (Accessed: 18 November 2014).


“The

real skill in designing a stadium is not the technical stuff

– it’s

designing a building that bottles emotion ” Norman Foster


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