CLAD PEOPLE PROJECT

White Hart Lane, London

Creating an accessible public space is important commercially, but it’s even more important socially Chris Lee managing director Populous

T

he architect masterminding a

“The great thing about football

new home for English football

clubs is we, the fans, own them. The

team Tottenham Hotspur –

people who live here should think,

billed by the Premier League

‘This is my club, I walk past it every

club as “the most unique sports

day and I feel a part of it.’ Creating

and entertainment destination in

an accessible public space is

Europe” – has lifted the lid on how

important commercially, but it’s

the stadium will create an important

even more important socially.

hub for the local community. Speaking to CLAD during a tour

isn’t the Emirates [the stadium of

managing director of architects

rival team Arsenal, also designed

Populous, said the key driver of the

by Populous], it’s the High Street.

£750m (US$932.2m, ¤879.4m)

The aim is to get fans to come

White Hart Lane project is the desire

earlier, dine with us, and experience

to create “a civic building that is

the stadium. On many levels this

physically and emotionally knitted

approach to the community is

into the local community.”

what’s changed most in the last 15

61,000-capacity ground will house

managing director at Populous, is overseeing the stadium development

years of stadium design.” Lee explained how the design

restaurants, street food stalls,

team drew inspiration from the old

five-a-side football pitches and a

stadiums of England and Europe

microbrewery. There will also be a

to create a facility with an electric

museum dedicated to the club and

match-day atmosphere. A tight

local area and an extreme sports

atmospheric bowl, which places

centre with Europe’s highest climbing

spectators in the north and south

wall and a seven-storey diving tank.

stands just 5m (16.4ft) away from

The club says the development will

the action, and the addition of a

create 3,500 jobs and pump £293m

17,000-seat single-tier stand – the

(US$364m, ¤343.5m) into the local

largest in the UK – will generate

economy each year.

“a wall of sound” that reverberates

“Currently Tottenham doesn’t have

around the ground. Expert

a centre,” said Lee. “We’re creating

acousticians have optimised the

a space the size of Trafalgar Square

sound within the stadium bowl.

that will be open 24 hours a day, linking both sides of the stadium.

18 CLADGLOBAL.COM

me that this stadium’s competition

of the construction site, Chris Lee,

A plaza to the south of the

Christopher Lee,

“Someone from the club told

“One of the things Daniel Levy [the chairman] was scared of was

CLAD mag 2017 ISSUE 2