International architects Allies and Morrison have completed work redeveloping Arsenal Football Club's former football stadium Highbury into a new residential scheme in north London. The redeveloped football ground is the first of its kind in Europe and the architects have ensured it has retained the characteristics of the former stadium.
The 191 million development, Highbury Square, has kept the Art Deco facades of the stadium's original Grade II listed East Stand and (locally listed) West Stand, which have been converted into residential blocks, using their existing four meter structural grids to create apartments. New shallower blocks, with internal residential courtyards, have been built on the remaining two sides of the stadium.
The former football pitch has been transformed into a two-acre landscaped garden at the centre of the scheme, designed in conjunction with Christopher Bradley-Hole Landscape.
The garden pays tribute to the former football pitch and is the focal point of the development. It has been planted with wild grasses and hedgerows together with decorative features of glass encased, illuminated water walls.
Highbury Square has also been designed to have excellent sustainability credentials. It has one of the largest solar heating arrays in Europe, which is accommodated on the extensive South Stand roof area and is linked to a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system at basement level that supplies heating and hot water to the whole development and electricity to power the external lighting and residents' common areas.
Allies and Morrison, (which opened an office in Doha, Qatar in the summer), were appointed to the project in 2003 by Vision Four Developments on behalf of owners Arsenal FC to redevelop the iconic stadium into a new residential neighbourhood called Highbury Square. Work began on the redevelopment once Arsenal FC moved to its new football ground, the Emirates Stadium, in 2006.
The design has already won two MIPIM Awards, the Future Project Award (Residential Category) 2003, and a Special Jury Award this year, 2009.
Source: Allies and Morrison Architects
