ottenham Hotspur FC’s new multipurpose
stadium was unprecedented in
the UK for its scale of technical ambitions
and has challenged convention for what
a modern stadium can offer. The same
can be said for the processes that contractors used
who worked on the build.
The stadium’s development used a direct
procurement model for employing subcontractors.
Although it proved controversial and fairly alien to
some companies, the strategy allowed Tottenham
Hotspur FC’s chairman Daniel Levy greater control
over events, as well as encouraging greater collaboration
between contractors. Levy has been dreaming of
building a new stadium ever since he arrived at
Tottenham in 2001 and his passion was evident in
his desire to monitor every detail of the process.
“The way Daniel Levy set up the project meant there
was a level of inter-dependence among contractors that
was unlike anything we’ve done before in the UK,” says
Ryan Penny, senior development manager at Harman
Audio, which supplied around 5,000 premium
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM
The suppliers and companies involved
in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium project
reveal the dynamics of working on the
challenging build, and how the club’s
unusual contracting strategy forged new
methods of collaboration
loudspeakers. Audio contractor SSE worked closely with
stadium architects Populous and consultants, to ensure
that the acoustics were as exciting as possible.
Traditionally, stadium loudspeakers are bolted to walls
near TV screens, but here they are all integrated into a
larger AV system on a stadium-wide IT network. Levy’s
obsession with overseeing every detail meant he even
got involved with audio. “It’s rare that the audio system
design would be influenced by the club chairman. But
in this instance, Daniel Levy’s direct involvement was
pivotal in choosing a premium audio solution to deliver
an enhanced fan experience,” Penny reveals.
Levy’s decision to establish a more direct model
of contracting is highly unusual on large-scale
construction projects. “Traditionally, owners hand
money to a big contractor and let them manage the
project, but that approach tends to mean discussions
are reserved for a separate forum with just the
contractor present. The way Daniel Levy did it
encouraged everyone to collaborate more. That single
decision changed the dynamics and the way the entire
project panned out,” Penny says.
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