Herzog & de Meuron has unveiled its last design for the revamp of Chelsea FC’s London stadium, with a brick and steel addition it describes as a “modern sculpted type” (+ slideshow).
The Swiss firm is operating with London architecture company Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands on the overhaul of the west London football club’s 41,837-seat Stamford Bridge stadium. The major aim of the task is to enhance spectator capacity to 60,000.
First pictures of the proposal emerged for the duration of the summer season, but the layout group has now submitted a preparing application to Hammersmith & Fulham council detailing its style.
The most prominent new function will be a series of brick piers that extend above the current stadium kind to assistance a steel ring above the pitch, covering an enhanced amount of seats.
The piers are meant to reference local brick architecture, and also develop a covered walkway around the perimeter of the developing.
In accordance to Herzog & de Meuron, the layout will “capture the spirit of the local heritage in a contemporary sculpted type that will respond to the local townscape and to neighbours’ views and light”.
“The structure will have a lightness of expression when viewed right but also a solidity and textural materiality when noticed obliquely,” it stated.
Entry to nearby Fulham Broadway Station will be enhanced, producing travel less complicated for spectators, while the arena itself will offer you “an excellent view of the stadium from every seat”.
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Built in 1876, Stamford Bridge was made by Scottish architect Archibald Leitch and was initially employed as an athletics club prior to turning out to be Chelsea’s residence ground in 1905.
The football club 1st unveiled programs to redevelop the stadium in June 2014, having previously explored options for new grounds at Earls Court, and on the south side of the River Thames at Battersea Energy Station.
Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands was initially appointed by Chelsea FC proprietor Roman Abramovich to explore options that would allow the club to remain at Stamford Bridge, with Herzog & Meuron joining the undertaking later.
The Swiss company famously designed the Bird’s Nest stadium for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Video games, and has also finished football stadiums in Munich, Basel and Bordeaux.
