Delivering next generation venues: the future of stadium design

Major sporting events are often remembered for the performances played out in front of huge numbers of fans, but the stadiums and arenas should also be acknowledged for the part they play in delivering successful legacies and more sustainable communities.

Stadiums and arenas have become more than simply venues for major sporting and cultural events. They play a central role in the social and economic sustainability of their communities and are a place for people to come together.  

“Top sporting events and venues can provide catalysts for change and future development.”

This has been demonstrated in Australia, through the long-standing, still evolving success of the Melbourne and Olympic Park multi-sport precinct - an anchor venue for sports and entertainment.  

Stadium owners and cities hosting major events are looking to create more innovative, sustainable and multi-purpose facilities. Venues should attract diverse crowds, be cost effective, reduce operational burdens, be accessible to all and leave a broader legacy in sustainable regeneration and placemaking. 

So, how do these trends impact the design and construction of the next generation of venues? 

Delivering next generation venues 

The creation of major event venues requires a strong vision and drive, long-term strategy and investment at multiple levels. From our work with venue owners, developers, event organisers and host cities over the last decade, we have identified four key considerations: 

• A clear vision, planning ahead, future-proofing and pay back are fundamental ingredients of success. It can take 20 years or more to create a programme to convert the site and facilities of a major sporting event from games to legacy mode. The right strategy and set up is essential to ensure the programme stays on track, risks are controlled and value is delivered. 
• Accessibility, safety and security should be factored into the design process from an early stage. Delivering the right blend of seating, safe standing, crowd movement, accessibility, unrestricted viewing and dedicated fan areas inside the bowl is conducive to creating an exciting atmosphere.
  Designers will need to examine the flow of spectators arriving and departing from a venue, addressing transport systems and hubs, concourses and pedestrian areas and the turnstiles and entry and exit routes themselves, maximising opportunities to create more space and segregation. 
• Sustainable design and construction of venues must be considered carefully. Games and legacy uses allow the opportunity to integrate modular and demountable solutions to allow for fast delivery, different formats of sport or entertainment and future conversion. 
• Fan experience should be a primary driver. This Encompasses fast and efficient transport and mobility systems, frictionless arrival and departure at the point of energy and exit, integrated technology and digitisation and quality of the product and attractiveness to a diverse crowd base.
  Also to consider is exceptional customer service and speed of transactions, an amazing atmosphere enhanced by stadium design, safety and security, accessibility to all, enhanced dwell time and secondary activities, and uniqueness.

Harnessing the home advantage 

The creation of a new facility doesn’t always have to be the default decision for stadium owners and host cities. Stadium owners need to take a long-term sustainable view, as well as recognising the power of emotional factors, such as local fan loyalties and heritage. 

“In the past, host cities have transformed and developed to accommodate major events like an Olympic Games.”

Paris 2024 was the first Olympic Games aligned with the Olympic Agenda 2020, and 95 percent of the Olympic venues and facilities for the games already existed or were upgraded and modernised to ensure long-term opportunities for local communities.  

The city also came up with an innovative and sustainable approach to keep momentum around sport post-Games. The French Government pledged to build 5,000 ‘proximity’ sports grounds across the country, ensuring easier access to support for communities closer to their homes.  

Redefining sustainable design 

Building new stadiums and arenas has the advantage of providing a blank canvas from which a full precinct-based approach can be developed. This approach allows accessibility, transportation, modern infrastructure, safety, security, broadcasting, field of play, spectator viewing and fan experience all to be blended into an optimised design. 

The eight stadiums for the 2022 FIFA World Cup QatarTM were created in new precincts (except for the existing Khalifa International Stadium, which was expanded to meet FIFA World Cup™ hosting requirements). They were equipped with such amenities as schools, sports pitches, mosques and parks.

The approach aimed to maximise the positive impact of the event through sporting facilities, infrastructure and an outreach programme. 

“Ranging in capacity from 45,000 seat (gross) venues to the 80,000 seat Lusail Stadium, the stadiums were created with legacy in mind, with demountable top tiers and removable seating.”

The Ras Abu Aboud Stadium was a ‘flat pack’ design and construction made using modular steel and modified shipping containers, some of which were used to transport its materials. This sustainable and innovative design, by Fenwick Iribarren Architects, could even be completely dismantled after tournament use.

The stadium and other demountable elements were destined to go to developing countries after use, further extending the tournament’s sustainable legacy. 

Pitch perfect 

At the centre of any stadium is the field of play, and technology is now driving advances in pitch and turf development to the point where whole pitches can be removed and re-laid in rapid time to allow for back-to-back games on perfect surfaces. 

“Certainty of play is also paramount to ensure commercial and broadcasting obligations are met, as well as guaranteeing revenues can be maintained without loss of income from cancellation due to bad weather.”

For some tournaments, such as the FIFA World Cup™, under-pitch vacuum extraction systems are required to enable rapid removal of water following heavy downpours and flooding. Retractable roof structures are also becoming more prevalent in stadiums and arenas, as well as induced cooling systems, artificial or hybrid turf technology and ‘rapid grow’ lighting. 

Enhanced experiences 

Technology is a key enabler in creating enhanced experiences. Qatar incorporated new technologies into the 2022 event through an innovation programme for entrepreneurs including augmented reality for overlay stats on the field and artificial intelligence for offside detectors. 

“The fans of the future will be expecting so much more in the new era of multi-streaming platforms. Tailored apps and mobile services, and stadium owners themselves are placing a growing emphasis on applying technology to make it quicker and easier for fans to pass through ticket barriers and buy food, drinks and even merchandise.”

Opportunities for enhanced commercial routes to market have increased and will continue to increase at a rapid rate as technology and capability evolves, providing more streams of revenue. The effect of technological advances on commercial partnerships and broadcasting rights will be significant as the drive for real time, live and multi-channel formatting comes into play. 

Next generation venues 

Delivering stadiums for major events requires vision, planning, dedication and resilience. As innovation accelerates, modernising stadiums must align with net-zero carbon goals and modern construction methods like modular structures.  

Flexibility to adapt to evolving technology is crucial for sustainable, multi-purpose venues. Embracing advancements ensures enhanced fan experiences, making each visit memorable. By pushing boundaries, we create stadiums that are vibrant hubs of community, sustainability and technological excellence.

Together, we build a legacy that inspires and excites fans for generations to come.