Jeremy Fisher, director
DESIGN
My favorite sports project would have to be the Main Stand
at Anfield. I’ve admired Liverpool FC greatly since I was
a teenager, so it was a privilege to work on such an iconic
ground. What pleases me most is that the design absolutely
captures the spirit of the club.
The huge stand sits on high ground and has a deliberately
uncompromising angularity using a simple palette of forms and materials
honestly applied, making it an intimidating fortress buoying up home
fans. Spectator seating is focused sharply on the action on the pitch, with
the encapsulated roof intensifying the Anfield roar and cranking up the
matchday atmosphere. Internal spaces exude a feeling of warmth and
pride, with the Liverpool ethos running through every area.
In a modern age of ubiquitous stadium bowls with seamless cladding,
Anfield is determinedly old school – unique, individual and personal.
The stadium is not perfect by any means, but it lifts my spirits every time
I go there.”
Lee Nightingale, director
To receive a phone call from the AELTC All England
Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club with the opportunity to
be considered for the new No.1 Court at Wimbledon was a
moment in my professional career I will never forget. The
conversation at times felt close to a hoax call, but then the reality and
gravity of this project quickly came into focus.
Our first interview with the Estates team to discuss our sports
architecture experience, quality of finished building types and how
we see are involvement was equally matched by the Club’s energy
to challenge the concepts and investment to date.
We took this as a breath of fresh air and from that point onwards we
were able to listen, engage and suggest alternative measures throughout
the design life of this amazing project, positively contributing towards
their estate and ultimately the Championships.
Claire Wilson, associate, interior designer
The sheer scale of the East Stand at Twickenham Stadium
was by far the largest project I had worked on and the most
exciting. It amassed 118,000ft2 (11,000m2) and had a brief
to create six unique concepts within a tired hierarchy of offers
tailored for a variety of guests.
It was a designer’s dream creating ground-breaking spaces and
experiences from raw to refined material palettes, a roof top garden party
venue to a luxury members’ club experience with many variants inbetween.
Celebrating and bringing-to-life the unique aspects of England
Rugby, a relatively unknown sport to me at the time, but now I’m almost
an expert on.
By summer 2018, the venue was complete. It set a new benchmark for
national stadia, raising the bar for matchday and non-match day hospitality
for fans and guest to enjoy. It is a project I am extremely proud of.
Andy Simons, director
The best aspect of working around the world is the
collaboration with in-country architects. Apart from the
mix of cultures and experiences it is the fusion of ideas and
different design approaches that always seems to create
something special, beyond what either party would achieve alone. Stade
Océane was one such project in partnership with French architects
SCAU. The design, which we won in international competition, had the
dream of a singular form of a glowing blue bubble.
It was a great concept, but we now had to deliver it. We decided to try
something new with a body tinted single stretched ETFE skin in place
of typical pumped air cushions as we wanted it to be completely smooth.
One of the best moments was visiting the full-size facade mock-up on
site and seeing the blue skin pulled into place with its bespoke crimps
and tools, gleaming four stories high and perfect in a vast sea of mud.
Stade Océane now glows day and night as a welcome beacon on the
main motorway into Le Havre with different light intensities depending
on whether it is resting or in event mode.
Adrian Lambert
Gareth Gardner
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