FSM Stadium Development
How Can The UK Build Enough Stadia For A World Cup?
By Clare Gallagher, Project Director, Sir Robert McAlpine
The World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico involved more competitors than ever before, a 50% rise to 48 teams. FIFA does not seem to wish to stop there, with plans already being mooted to increase this figure to 64 sides competing for football’s greatest prize!
More teams means more matches, and more matches means more stadia required to accommodate fans, media, coaches, players, hospitality staff and the considerable number of people that go into making a World Cup match work. The UK is often considered a ready-made option to be a tournament host. But a 48-team, or even a 64-team tournament, requires stadium infrastructure beyond the UK’s current capability.
This is compounded by the stringent regulatory,
operational and technical standards required of any FIFA- compliant venue. For the UK to be set up effectively for a future tournament, a roll-out of modern stadia, each forming an effective part of local communities and infrastructure, must begin in earnest.
Challenges Of Modern Stadium Development
The process of clubs expanding and modernising their stadium infrastructure has already begun. Man United have announced the acquisition of a site for their futuristic stadium
design. Stadium redevelopments are also in
motion for Man City, Aston Villa and Chelsea, amongst others. Yet from the course of our work at Sir Robert McAlpine on the Emirates and the London Stadium, there are some key challenges in the course of a stadium build.
At the outset of a stadium project, the success of the entire venture will often depend on a pivotal factor from the first days of the build: effective client engagement.
20 FSM
Understanding and collaborating on what a client is looking to achieve may sound obvious, but the whole project can be disjointed in its absence. This close collaboration is even more crucial when a client is working to strict parameters, such as FIFA’s guiding regulation and standards.
Stadium projects also bring a particular level of technical complexity. Supply chains can be highly specialised, roof structures are often bespoke, and major works may need to be delivered around existing operations, event calendars or surrounding communities. Early planning therefore needs to go beyond design intent and address buildability, sequencing, logistics and safety
from the
outset, particularly where prefabrication, heavy lifting or working at height are involved.
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
