The 62,303-seat Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, located in London, is the largest club stadium in London and the first in the world to be custom-built to stage soccer and NFL football games, thanks to its fully retractable pitch.
The soccer pitch sits atop the football field and in order to reveal the latter, the former needs to split into three sections to maneuver around two massive supports under the south stands. The pitch runs along tracks and slowly moves into a covered parking lot on the south end of the stadium where it is stored. While in storage, LED lights provide the grass with enough light to keep it alive, but not so much that it will begin to grow out of control, and autonomous mowers keep the grass at a proper length.
The Populous-designed stadiums features uninterrupted sight lines and brings spectators closer to the pitch than at any comparable ground in the UK. The stands are angled at 35 degrees to create a tighter, atmospheric stadium bowl. The southern “home end” of the stadium (under which the pitch is stored) seats 17,500 spectators, making it the largest single-tier stand in the UK. The seating rows are separated by an ergonomically profiled bar set at 900mm for clear sight lines. Each of the seats provides the same levels of comfort and leg room as any other seat anywhere in the stadium and is fitted with a lock to ensure it can be securely fixed in the upright position.
The stadium also features something not seen every day in a stadium, a microbrewery. Owned and operated by local brewer Beavertown, the brewery makes approximately 23,000 pints of beer per match. Another interesting feature for those who like to imbibe in alcoholic beverages is the Goal Line Bar. At 65 meters, the bar is the longest in Europe.
Both the microbrewery and the Goal Line Bar are located in The Market Place, a fan zone with street-food style market stalls in the South Stand atrium. The South Stand Atrium is five stories high and will provide a new meeting place for home supporters before and after matches.
Other features include fine dining experiences; The Tunnel Club, a glass-walled private members club allowing fans a behind-the-scenes view of the players making their way from the pitch, as well as seats located behind the First Team technical area; and The Sky Lounge, where guests can enjoy panoramic views of London from the stadium’s highest point.
There are also a number of experiences for fans available year round, such as the 38,000-sf visitors center with the largest club retail space in Europe, the club museum and archives, and a publicly accessible cafe with an outdoor seating area.
Related Stories
| Aug 15, 2016
Top 50 Sports Facility Architecture Firms
Populous, HKS, and HOK top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest sports facility sector architecture and A/E firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
High-rise Construction | Aug 1, 2016
Rising to the occasion: Dubai shows some pictures of proposed 500-step structure
Still in the planning stages, this building would serve tourists and power climbers alike.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jul 31, 2016
Shanghai’s latest tourist attraction: an outside, rail-less walkway around one of its tallest skyscrapers
For less than $60, you can now get a bird’s-eye (or window-washer’s) view of the cityscape.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jul 20, 2016
San Diego’s waterfront redevelopment would go beyond a mere ‘project’
Its developers envision a thriving business, education, and entertainment district, highlighted by a huge observation tower and aquarium.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jul 20, 2016
Chicago Cubs unveil plans for premier fan club underneath box seats at Wrigley Field
As part of the baseball team’s larger stadium renovation project, the club will offer exclusive food, drinks, and seating.
Events Facilities | Jul 19, 2016
Houston architect offers novel idea for Astrodome renovation
Current plans for the Astrodome’s renovation turn the site into an indoor park and events space, but a Houston architect is questioning if that is the best use of the space
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jul 18, 2016
Turner and AECOM will build the Los Angeles Rams’ new multi-billion dollar stadium project
The 70,000-seat stadium will be ready by the 2019 NFL season. The surrounding mixed-use development includes space for retail, hotels, and public parks.
Building Tech | Jul 14, 2016
Delegates attending political conventions shouldn’t need to ask ‘Can you hear me now?’
Each venue is equipped with DAS technology that extends the building’s wireless coverage.
Contractors | Jul 4, 2016
A new report links infrastructure investment to commercial real estate expansion
Competitiveness and economic development are at stake for cities, says Transwestern.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jun 9, 2016
Swimming may be returning to Melbourne’s polluted Yarra River… kind of
The addition of a pool to the Yarra may help improve people’s perception of the river and act as the impetus to an increase in support for improving its water quality.