Football

I'm not too familiar with the area, but the references to Gothic architecture and Westminster Cathedral don't seem to chime with the site or a football ground of any era. Gothic architecture was certainly imposing and this manages that trick without being too overbearing on the site (unifying the form certainly helps and it looks well resolved in that respect). At least with Herzog & de Meuron you won’t get a Zaha Hadid style signature stadium.

Haven’t seen much information on how the ‘public’ realm around the stadium will work, for me that’s one of the most important aspects to a ground, how it serves to heighten expectation / build atmosphere. I.e. Wembley kind of works (but not up close or if you want to get out in a hurry), Pride Park doesn’t. I hope it doesn’t just become a car park for one’s Range Rovers. It’s definitely the right idea to open up the space around the ground.

Also interested to hear more detail about how H&dM’s role will be post-concept design. I assume that a London based architect will be appointed as delivery architect for the construction phase with H&dM overseeing it from the clients side, if so who? There are architects who have plenty of experience in designing stadiums, but getting the detailing of brickwork etc right to pull of the concept is another matter (Gothic architecture may have been imposing but the interiors and the brickwork are sublime).