Manchester United are to carry out a £50 million upgrade to their training facilities. The work will begin this week and is expected to improve the performance of their men’s first team. The refurbishment project is being led by renowned architect Norman Foster.
Jim Ratcliffe, owner of Manchester United has commented that “we want to create a world-class environment for our teams to win” while the club has also stated that the changes will focus on the gym, medical, nutrition and recovery areas. This work on the Carrington facilities (where Manchester United trains) is in addition to the opening of the state-of-the-art building for the women’s team and the academy, works that have a value of 10 million pounds.
Foster, the project’s architect, commented that “our aim is to modernize and revitalize the building as a catalyst for future soccer success, creating spaces that inspire a culture of collaboration, unity and belonging”.
FROM STADIUMS TO ENGINEERING WORKS
Norman Foster is one of the great architects of the evolution of sports from simple stadiums for watching soccer on Sundays to real engineering works capable of hosting any type of event.
This British architect has participated in the works of Wembley Stadium or the Spotify Camp Nou as well as many other non-sports stadiums.
If we talk about stadiums converted into entertainment centers, the new Santiago Bernabéu must be on the table. In addition to hosting the best matches in the world, Real Madrid‘s stadium has become a show center with the biggest event in Spain this year, with Taylor Swift’s concerts as the best example of what a stadium can become.
The architectural firm that designed the new Santiago Bernabéu was also involved in the creation of the Simón Bolívar stadium in Bolivia, making it much more innovative and 21st century. Another of the projects has been the remodeling of the Campín stadium in Bogota, but they have not only been involved in the remodeling. The project seeks to convert the space into a complete cultural and sports center of an excellent level that includes an auditorium and a commercial area.
