Lord’s Cricket Ground | London, England

LORD’S CRICKET GROUND

London, England

Images: WilkinsonEyre, Andrew Fosker, Claire Adams, Hufton+Crow, Jason Hawkes, JL

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stablished in 1814, Lord’s Cricket Ground is internationally renowned as the Home of Cricket. Responding to an increasingly competitive sporting environment, the iconic venue is undergoing an upgrade as part of a wider masterplan, which aims to increase operational efficiency and enhance the overall spectator experience. Beginning with the first phase, which was to redevelopment of the Warner Stand in 2014, work is scheduled to continue until 2032. The second phase of the masterplan has seen architects, WilkinsonEyre, complete the redevelopment of the Compton and Edrich stands, delivering two new, distinctive architectural

structures at Lord’s. The new stands form an integral part of Marylebone Cricket Club’s (MCC), plans to future-proof the ground. The stands, designed with multidisciplinary engineers, Buro Happold, deliver greatly improved sightlines and an enhanced spectator experience for cricket fans, as well as upgrading capacity, accessibility, and amenities at the UK’s premier cricket venue. The new Compton and Edrich stands, constructed by contractor ISG, sit either side of the iconic J.P. Morgan Media Centre at the famous Nursery end of the ground. They feature a canopy roof, integrated facilities, and an elevated walkway facing the Nursery Ground that connects the two new stands and link into the Mound and Grand stands. At 24m high, they are now the tallest stands at the venue, offering unrivalled views of the field of play, featuring three tiers that elevate the spectator experience. The stands provide an additional 2,600 seats, increasing the overall capacity to 31,180 (the Compton and Edrich are non-members stands). Half of the 11,600 seats fitted have been re-used from the previous stands to mitigate waste. The stands also have wheelchair accessible positions, facilities, and lift access at all levels. Additionally, they also house two pitch-facing restaurants, two sponsor suites, 12 additional food and drink outlets and integrated washroom facilities. The design concept of the stands is in keeping with both the historic and contemporary architectural context of the venue. The stands form part of an overall composition that includes the iconic Grade II*-listed Pavilion, the J.P. Morgan Media Centre, the Grand, Mound, and Warner stands, with each stand presenting a clear expression of the engineering principles behind it. Speaking to MONDO | STADIA, Sam Wright, Director at WilkinsonEyre, explained some of the things that had to be taken into consideration when it came to the design of the new stands: “One of the things about Lord’s – and UK cricket