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The architecture of cricket grounds
By Will last year, mid-June, 3 Comments »
Riya from the Architecture Journal wrote in to let me know of a piece they’ve done: six of the best cricket grounds.
They are, in descending order:
- DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai, India
- MCG, Melbourne, Australia
- Kensington Oval, Barbados
- Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa
- Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan
- Winner: Lord’s, London, England
1. Lord’s, London, England
As well as Victorian architect Thomas Verity’s Pavilion, which still stands, completed in 1890, the architects who have made additions to ‘The Home of Cricket’ is a who’s who of the significant hi-tech architects of the late twentieth century. Most famous is the Lord’s Media Centre, which won Jan Kaplicky and Amanda Levete’s Future Systems the Stirling Prize in 1999.
The bulbous form is supported above the ground by two lift shafts and its glazed facade give journalists and commentators an uninterrupted view of the ground. The curved structure was fabricated using boat-building technology and was the first all aluminium, semi-monocoque building in the world.
Adjacent to this is Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners Grandstand, completed in 1996. The stand is a three tier post-tensioned structure with capacity for 6,200 spectators.
Completing the high-tech group, Hopkins and Partners designed Lord’s Mound Stand, an intervention that retained the original Victorian arcade on the ground’s exterior while building a new steel superstructure topped off with an exuberant fabric canopy of PVC-coated polyester fabric.
Less public, but an important project nevertheless, is David Morley Architects’ Indoor Cricket School on the same site. It was the first indoor facility to utilise natural light for the playing area.
But wait, there’s more!
By Scott 4 years ago, mid-December, 5 Comments »
I’m tired of reading post-mortems about the Ashes. The result is decided, but there are two Tests to go. As an Australian, I’m absolutely delighted that Australia have won the series. But the future of both teams is not set in stone yet.
It seems to me that both sides, but especially England, have a lot riding on the outcome of the final two Test matches. It is by no means a given that Australia will go on for the 5-0 outcome that is being loosely bandied about, but if that happens, 2007 will be a year of woe for England. The inquisition will be a sight to behold.
On the other hand, a fighting England performance, with England coming home 3-2, will give a tremendous filip to English morale. There will be positives for the English team to hang their hats on.
For Australia, a 5-0 win will be the peak for several of the team’s veterans to call it a day. While Australia will seek to manage the retirement of their key players, looking ahead to 2009, the batting looks strong, with Michael Clarke, Hussey and Ponting being a core middle order to build around.
So it is not over yet kids. The Fourth Test starts in a week, and Warne is one wicket away from 700 wickets.
5 Comments »Video: meet the Aussie posse
By Will 4 years ago, mid-September, 10 Comments »
Barmy Army beware the Aussie posse. I’m clearly a man of simple tastes, or none at all in this case, as I found this short video a bit tickling. It’s Yabba, whoever he is, and he’s training up some recruits to combat the stampede of the Barmy Army this winter. Anyone know who Yabba is? (Click here if you can’t see the video below)
10 Comments »Ashes tickets will sell out ‘in hours’
By Will 4 years ago, mid-May, 5 Comments »
I cannot wait for the Ashes. That’s not to do a disservice to Sri Lanka or Pakistan in the summer and, on the basis of England’s performance at Lord’s, they really need a rocket up their derrieres. But after last summer’s extraordinary happenings, the next Ashes is going to be massive.
And there’s a distinct possibility the MCG could host 100,000 people in the Boxing Day Test! 100,000 – can you imagine? English grounds hold about 30,000 (I think) – 100,000 is taking the mick.
5 Comments »Barmy Army Invasion!
By Scott 5 years ago, mid-December, No Comments; be the first!
Australia is already laying down limits to the amount of tickets UK tour groups can buy for the Ashes defence next year. This is perhaps not surprising- 30,000 fans are expected to make the journey to watch England’s Ashes defence.
To put it in perspective, 30,000 would sell out Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, and the capacity of the SCG is only 40,000.
The MCG, with a 100,000 capacity would hold them comfortably, but I’m expecting a sell out of even that stadium for the first day.
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