Feature
Our current major stadium retrofit projects are bringing these issues together with unusual clarity. Fan research identifies weather protection, movement and sheltered spaces as important parts of the experience. At the same time, operational teams know where temporary measures are repeatedly needed. For example, condition assessments can show roofs, controls and environmental systems approaching the end of their working lives. Together, that evidence points towards a more ambitious objective: new-stadium performance through renovation.
For an existing venue, this means setting contemporary expectations for resilience, comfort, reliability and event flexibility, while retaining the atmosphere and identity that supporters value. The building may be decades old, but the performance target should reflect the conditions and expectations of the decades ahead.
Necessary renewal can help deliver that ambition. I think of the approach as ‘replacement plus one’. When an element reaches the end of its life, the design conversation should ask what further improvement the intervention could unlock.
A roof renewal could improve shelter and water management. Concourse work might create shade, improve airflow and make movement easier. New controls can reduce energy demand while giving the operator more flexibility across events and weather conditions. Public-realm renewal can improve everyday arrival and help the site retain stormwater during intense rainfall.
©Blake Marvin Photography
Operators and facilities teams hold essential knowledge about how the stadium behaves under pressure. Designers can combine that insight with fan research, climate modelling and a future vision for the venue. Across
the best new-build and retrofit venues, the
strongest responses begin with local conditions and the lived experience of the people using the building.
Climate resilience provides the driver, while new-stadium performance sets the ambition. Replacement plus one offers a practical way to make progress whenever renewal is required. Together, they can turn an ageing venue into a more adaptable, enjoyable and trusted home for the next generation, whatever the weather.
The ‘plus one’ will vary. It might strengthen resilience, improve fan comfort or support a broader range of events. It may create visible environmental value through landscape, water, energy or material choices. The opportunity lies in connecting necessary work to a coherent long-term vision for the stadium.
Some venues will need larger, coordinated investment. Persistent problems across arrival, circulation, comfort and building systems rarely disappear through isolated replacements. A strategic renovation can achieve the step change required to bring the venue closer to new-stadium performance.
Fans judge that performance through experience. They notice whether there is shade, whether queues move and whether the concourse offers relief when the weather turns. They also notice how a club cares for its home.
Stadiums express business, brand and investment, while supporters often regard them as part of the identity of the club and city. Visible improvements to comfort, sustainability and public space can reinforce trust
and responsible stewardship. They show that owners are
preparing the venue for the future and doing things the right way. They may also offer credible stories for sponsors because supporters can see, use and understand the improvements.
1:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/jul/19/bad-bunny-milan-abandoned-hailstorm 2:
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/approach/collaboration/ukcp?
FSM 19 ©Blake Marvin Photography
FSM
©Nic Lehoux Photography
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36
