Foster + Partners has worked with Manchester United to produce some illustrative concepts for a new landmark stadium, which would sit at the heart of an ambitious masterplan for the Old Trafford Stadium District, and act as a catalyst for regeneration.
The stadium would be a globally recognisable landmark, encapsulating Manchester United's spirit and the city's heritage. Inverting the traditional model of football stadium design, the new stadium concept is open and outward facing with wraparound balconies that overlook the wider development.
Lord Norman Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman, Foster + Partners, said: "This has to be one of the most exciting projects in the world today, with incredible regional and national significance. It all starts with the fans' experience, bringing them closer than ever to the pitch and acoustically cultivating a huge roar. The stadium is contained by a vast umbrella, harvesting energy and rainwater, and sheltering a new public plaza that is twice the size of Trafalgar Square. The outward-looking stadium would be the beating heart of a new sustainable district, which is completely walkable, served by public transport, and endowed by nature. It is a mixed-use miniature city of the future – driving a new wave of growth and creating a global destination that Mancunians can be proud of."
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Co-owner of Manchester United, said: "Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world's greatest football stadiums, at the centre of a regenerated Old Trafford. Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years, but it has fallen behind the best arenas in world sport. By building next to the existing site, we will be able to preserve the essence of Old Trafford, while creating a truly state-of-the-art stadium that transforms the fan experience only footsteps from our historic home. Just as important is the opportunity for a new stadium to be the catalyst for social and economic renewal of the Old Trafford area, creating jobs and investment not just during the construction phase but on a lasting basis when the stadium district is complete. The Government has identified infrastructure investment as a strategic priority, particularly in the north of England, and we are proud to be supporting that mission with this project of national, as well as local, significance."