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First formed in 1956 and resolved to create a
soundly managed Architectural Practice with a high design
profile.
With a staff of 50 operating from offices in
Manchester and Liverpool, this Award winning Practice has
established itself as one of the country’s leading Sports
Designers and were appointed as Architectural Advisers to
The English National Stadium Trust.
Our involvement in stadia design developed during
the early 1960’s following projects undertaken for Manchester
and Thirsk Racecourses through to the concept design, masterplanning
and implementation of the first phase of the redevelopment
of Manchester United’s Old Trafford Stadium. The North Stand
was constructed to a unique design and contained the first
executive boxes of any football ground in Europe, it was completed
in time for the 1966 World Cup. More than 30 years later the
Practice is still involved. The new North Stand constructed
on 3 tiers (26,000 seats) with 8 levels of fit out comprising
museum, sports café, banqueting and hospitality for more than
2,500, including 2 levels of executive boxes maintains Old
Trafford at the leading edge of stadia design. Two further
phases of a new masterplan raising the capacity to 68,000
have now been completed.
We have also enjoyed a long association with
Liverpool Football Club and have assisted the Club in redeveloping
their existing Anfield Stadium, including the famous Spion
Kop, we are developing plans for a new 70,000 capacity stadium
on adjoining land.
We have enjoyed a similar association with Everton
at Goodison Park. Other major projects include the phased
development of Blackburn Rovers Ewood Park, Preston North
End, the masterplanning of Molineux Stadium and development
of the John Ireland Stand, the West Stand at White Hart Lane
which contains 2 levels of executive boxes, the J.J.B. Stadium
at Wigan a 25,000 facility for both Soccer and Rugby Football
League which was completed in August 1999 and the development
of the new 4 tier stand at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea Village
PLC.
The ancillary accommodation associated with sports
venues continues to grow in importance and includes conferencing,
banqueting, hotel, I.T. centres, retail outlets for ‘merchandise’,
offices, ticketing and training facilities. Training facilities
are generally developed away from the stadium complex involving
specialist activities particularly medical treatment. We have
been involved with facilities for Local Authorities, The Rugby
League and Premiership teams, including Manchester United,
Everton, Blackburn, Chelsea, Liverpool and Sunderland.
Our involvement at Wembley started in 1986. We
have undertaken a number of major projects including the innovative
Olympic Gallery and executive sky boxes. We were retained
and subsequently commissioned by the English National Stadium
Trust to prepare a series of design options for a new National
Stadium as part of a feasibility study and winning lottery
application.
We were pleased to secure the role of Design
Manager with Manchester City Council for the 2002 Commonwealth
Games.
We believe that at least in part, our success
has been due to the fact that we have adhered to our original
objectives and that we continue to care about the quality
of our design solutions.
Our priorities lie in what we do best. Fulfilling
a challenging brief with technical innovation professionalism
and commitment.
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