Chris Lee,
managing director for EMEA, Populous
Around twenty years
ago sports stadia were
at a hybrid point and
you were beginning to
see the next generation
coming through. There
was the 2000 Olympic
Games in Sydney, which was called the ‘Green Games’
so the issue of sustainability was emerging. It was the
first time an events building utilized rain water
harvesting, natural ventilation, and legitimately
considered legacy by being able to be convert its seating
post event and transform the Olympic Park to a mixedused
space.
It was at this time we also started to think about not
only the live audience but the television audience too
and it being an important player in the design of
venues. This led to a massive transformation of venues
in Western Europe and North America. At this point
we also changed in England, from the classic four stand
stadium developed over time into a new crop of stadia
that were inner city and downtown. We began realizing
the regeneration potential of these buildings and how
they could impact the city. They can be leveraged for
infrastructure and upgrades to community facilities
to knit them together.
If you look at a stadium at the end of the 1990s
to 2020, the biggest trend has been the prioritizing
of the fan experience. This fan-first, user-friendly focus
is the biggest change in the building typology, which
has affected both the physical spaces and how they
are used.
Looking ahead to the next 20 years, you can see
things already happening in advance and there are
definitely some trends now that will evolve and amplify.
We will begin to see the impact of artificial intelligence,
certainly in the management of the building and
facilities as well as the broader infrastructure. Also, the
ability for the venue to physically adapt for different
uses or needs will influence future building design. Yet,
the live experience will always be key as we are
competing with an at-home product of large TVs, big
couches and food delivery services. The live event is
king, as there isn’t another environment where you
can share the experience with tens of thousands of
other people, and this is why we will continue to design
and build stadia.
The London 2012
Olympics introduced
sustainable venues
“The ability for the venue to physically adapt for different.
uses or needs will influence future building design”.
Chris Lee
66 www.stadia-magazine.com Showcase 2020 ARCHITECTURE
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