04 Dec 2017
New images: Fulham's Riverside Stand project to create 'world-class leisure destination'
BY Kim Megson
Fulham Football Club has submitted an application to the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Council for the redevelopment of the Riverside Stand at its historic Craven Cottage home.
New renderings released by Populous show how the stand has been designed with “an iconic roof design” to better connect with the river.
Sports architects Populous are behind the proposals, which club chair Shahid Khan claims will “transcend the customary standards of football grandstands” by “blending history and the contemporary like no stadium in the land or beyond”.
If approved by the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Council, the scheme will see the creation of riverside pubs and restaurants, event facilities, green spaces and public access to a river walk along the River Thames, in addition to nine new apartments at either end of the site.
The Riverside Stand itself will be rebuilt with more seats, increasing the stadium's total capacity by 4,300 to 30,000. A new basement will make room for ‘back of house’ facilities and lounge space.
The architects were tasked with creating something sympathetic in scale to the adjoining stands and trees to the south while reducing the impact of floodlighting on the river. They propose to achieve the latter by removing two existing floodlight masts and building a new system below the roof.
The application follows a period of consultation and open dialogue with residents, supporters and stakeholders.
"Everyone at Fulham is incredibly excited to submit this application, and we're confident the plans we've laid out will both upgrade the current stand and add new facilities that everyone in the community will be able to enjoy and appreciate," said Alistair Mackintosh, CEO of Fulham FC.
Nicholas Reynolds, Populous senior principal and project lead, added: "We’re delighted to be working so closely with Fulham FC to design a building that provides a great home for the team and a great neighbour for our local community, all through the year.
"It’s a real privilege to work on such an authentic, world-famous football ground and at the same time bring to life such an incredible riverside location in London."
The club secured planning permission for a previous design in 2013. In a statement it said that the latest proposal – itself commissioned by Khan in favour of a different broad concept study developed by Heatherwick Studio – has "incorporated a modern design that is sympathetic with the river and local area and best reflects the needs of the club, community and neighbourhood by delivering a wide range of benefits both now and for future generations".
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