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grounds in general - is that it has evolved organically from
while creating a distinctive silhouette.
a very old site, so that was something to always consider.
The canopy is made up of a combination of white-painted
The MCC has been particularly strong patrons of modern
radiating steel ribs, a visible timber supporting shell on
architecture and we were appointed through a limited
the underside and a white fabric skin. Its design provides
competition to replace quite an austere pair of stands. With
a subtle contrast to the futuristic, aluminium J.P. Morgan
the exposed upper tier and obstructed views in the lower,
Media Centre, while corresponding to the tent-like forms
we were told stories of St. John’s Ambulance handing out
of the Mound Stand’s fabric roof, alluding to a sporting
sunblock to those in the upper and foil blankets to those in
typology. The original white and grey seating is set in light
the lower – it was those kind of extremes.
grey concrete terracing, divided by glazed bands which mark
“The big challenge for us was the setting of these new
out the premier seating and restaurants and the J.P. Morgan
stands, but we had a very strong, singular concept of a
hospitality suites, echoing the Grand Stand and Mound Stand
balanced design either side of the media centre – and that
elevation.
really sustained itself from the very early days. There was
Jim Eyre, Director at WilkinsonEyre, added: “The shape of
very little change in terms of the form and the silhouette of
the media centre means that if you built right up to it at full
this concept. Of course, there was refinement as we went
height, you would really crowd it out. A shape like that needs
through the process of understanding the constraints and the
space around it and there was quite a lot of accommodation
emerging brief, but that concept maintained throughout.”
to fit in. So, the question for us was how do you do that –
The steel mainframe of the new stands feature large
and I think the two ideas really go well together as it’s all
identifiable columns and double-height colonnades, which
about the sightlines.”
references the rhythms of the original brick arches of the
Both stands are designed to be open and spacious, with clear
adjacent Mound Stand arcade, while the roof canopies
open stairs, access walkways and wayfinding, improving
complement the subtle curvature and form of the design
accessibility and crowd circulation. A bridge connects the
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