English football club Manchester United has appointed Foster + Partners to created a masterplan for the redevelopment of the land surrounding its Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, UK.
The football club is set to redevelop the site to create “a world-class football destination”, ahead of plans to redevelop the stadium, which is the largest in the Premier League.
It announced that Foster + Partners, which is led by Manchester-born Norman Foster, will create the masterplan.
“As a proud Mancunian, I am passionate about the chance to rebuild on Manchester’s great industrial heritage, creating a vibrant new mixed-use community, served by highly sustainable and improved transport links, providing homes and jobs for the local community, all catalysed by a world-class stadium for the world’s most famous football team – Manchester United,” said Foster.
The masterplan will focus on around 100 acres of land around the stadium in the west of Manchester, which suspends two sides of a canal and is largely used for car parking and warehouses.
According to the club, the plan is to create a mixed-use development that will “benefit the local community, attract new residents, increase job provision”.
“We have a clear vision to transform and revitalise the club-owned land around Old Trafford and we know that Foster + Partners is the best partner to help us develop the plans,” said Manchester United chief operating officer Collette Roche.
“This is an area of Greater Manchester ready for major new investment so that it can thrive once more, and we are determined to help deliver those outcomes, ” she continued.
“We want this area to become a true destination, that not only provides an unbeatable matchday experience for our fans, but also supports other forms of entertainment, leisure, business and residential facilities surrounding a world-class stadium.”
The stadium will form the centrepiece of the redeveloped area; however, its design will be determined after the masterplan is created. The club has not yet determined if it will revamp the existing stadium or aim to create a new venue on the site.
Old Trafford has been the home of Manchester United since 1910. It has been redeveloped and expanded numerous times, most recently in 2006, and has a capacity of 74,310, making it the largest stadium in the Premier League.
It is the second largest stadium in the country behind Wembley Stadium in London, which was designed by Foster + Partners and stadium specialist Populous. Populous previously carried out a feasibility plan for the redevelopment of the Old Trafford stadium and surrounding land.
Foster + Partners is already working on the redesign of the men’s first-team building at the Carrington training complex for the club.
The lead photo is by HonorTheKing.
