Wembley Stadium
Originally built for the British Empire Exhibition of 1924, and in turn the main venue for the Olympic Games in 1948 and the football World Cup Finals in 1966, the old Wembley Stadium became the most famous sports and entertainment venue in Britain. The design of the new stadium builds upon the heritage of the old to provide future generations of sports and music fans with a venue equipped for the twenty-first century. At almost four times the height of the original, covering twice the area, and with 90,000 seats, the new Wembley Stadium will be the largest all-covered football stadium in the world.
A key feature of the new stadium is its partly retractable roof. When retracted it will ensure that the turf gets sufficient daylight and ventilation to maintain a perfect playing surface, while in poor weather it can be closed within fifteen minutes to cover all seats. The roof is supported by a spectacular 133-metre-high arch that soars over the stadium, providing an iconic replacement for the old buildings landmark twin towers. Dramatically illuminated at night, the arch will be visible from vantage points across London. Beneath this arch, stadium facilities are designed to maximise spectator comfort and enjoyment. The geometry of the seating bowl ensures that everyone has an unobstructed view from each of its three tiers; seats are wider than in the old stadium, with more leg-room; the upper tiers are accessed via escalators; and a new concourse wrapping around the building allows easy circulation and provides seated dining for over 10,000 spectators at any one time.
To create an intimate atmosphere during football and rugby games, the stadium has been designed with seats close to the pitch, yet it also has the potential to host track and field competitions, for which a running track and athletics arena can be installed when needed above the pitch on a rigid platform covering part of the lower tier. Acoustic studies have been undertaken to ensure that the new stadium will recreate the famous Wembley roar.
Consultants: Mott Stadium Consortium, Franklin + Andrews, Mott Stadium Consortium , Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners, Ove Arup and Partners, Sinclair Knight Merz (Europe) Limited, Sports Turf Research Institute, Steer Davis Gleeve
Co-architects: HOK S+V+E
