Oakwell - West Stand Proposal Barnsley Football Club Matt Grimshaw
From my seat high up in the East stand, I look over to the old West stand every match day and have on many occasions wondered what could be done to bring the stand into the 21st century. Although I love the history of the West stand and want to keep its character for as long as possible, there seems to be a growing pressure to improve. Ultimately, years down the line, a redevelopment will have to occur. Accordingly, I have embarked on a project to explore the possibilities with a self-defined brief: - The space at the West side of the stadium should improve both the pre and post-match experience for supporters. - The design should create a space that can be utilised by the local community throughout the year, on a day to day basis. - The overall stadium capacity should decrease, but should create different sections within what already exists. I managed to obtain existing measurements from published documents submitted for planning permission and therefore my plans are as accurate as can be. This document is currently only for educational purposes and should not be published without the owners consent.
The proposed design concept starts around a continuous triangulated roof, which follows the existing boundary line at the West side of the stadium. Within this sheltered form, a new ticket office and press room is housed. Other facilities such as a 5-a-side pitch, rentable office/classroom/studio spaces and a cafe/restaurant create a multi-use facility. Some triangular roof elements are punctured, creating larger open green spaces, which will become open to the public. The stands capacity is reduced overall from the current capacity, however a new seating section is located in the corner of the ground, whilst a small second tier provides a new press section and directors area. The current lower tier seating section is left untouched, however the new roof covers the space. One benefit of this on match days is that the stadium will feel more enclosed. The new roof will no doubt create a much better atmosphere and improve fans experiences, as the acoustics of the ground improve.
Architecturally the roof responds to the typology of the backdrop. The staggered terraced housing is a known characteristic of the town. In elevation, the triangulated plans form this stepped roof line. The design also looks to take into consideration the past roof-line of the West stand. This continued downward sloping pitch towards the pitch is retained, whilst the iconic camera position is enhanced within the new roof design.
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Lower Floor
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Treatment Room Store Sub Station
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Ground Floor 1 5 A Side Pitch 2 Press Lounge 3 Press Seating 4 Reception 5 Refreshments 6 Store 7 Male Toilets 8 Female Toilets 9 Ticket Office 10 Office 11 External Garden 12 Cafe/Restaurant 13 Kitchen 14 Floodlight 15 Sub Station
Second Floor
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Studio/Office/Classroom Camera Position Store
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First Floor 11 1 Press Room 2 Directors Seating 3 Press Seating 4 Directors Lounge 5 Classroom 6 Store 7 Male Toilets 8 Female Toilets 9 Office 10 External Garden 11 Bar Terrace 12 Cafe/Restaurant 13 Studio/Office/Classroom 14 Floodlight
First Floor
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Ground Floor
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Rent-able Spaces
Public Shared Private
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Openings
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Press Space Directors Space
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In Out
Fans balcony overlooking 5-a-side pitch
5-a-side pitch looking through towards match pitch
Garden balconies overlooking public circulation space
Cafe / Restaurant in corner of stadium