Sport
Stands bowled by steel
16 NSC
May 20
Forming part of Marylebone Cricket
Club’s (MCC) ongoing masterplan
to redevelop the world-famous and
historic Lord’s Cricket Ground, two
new steel-framed stands are currently under
construction.
The new Compton and Edrich stands are
both three-tier structures and together they
will accommodate around 11,600 spectators
at the Nursery End of the ground. Also,
forming part of the scheme, a walkway
linking both stands at second tier level and
spanning beneath the existing media centre
is also being built.
The ground’s overall capacity will be
increased by 2,500 seats and the new
additions will have corporate and hospitality
areas in the middle tier and, exceeding
industry best-practice, 3% of all seating
will be for wheelchair users or those with
restricted mobility. The top tier of the new
stands will be partially covered with a steelframed
roof.
Commenting on the latest part of the
masterplan, MCC Chief Executive &
Secretary Guy Lavender says: “MCC is
committed to ensuring Lord’s remains the
best place in the world at which to watch
and play cricket. These new stands will
transform the Nursery End, providing
world-class facilities, opening up views
both to the Pavilion and back towards
the Nursery Ground, and adding another
architectural enhancement to Lord’s.”
Main contractor ISG began work on
site during August 2019, after the final
international cricket match of the season at
the ground had taken place.
“We have organised our work into three
phases,” explains ISG Project Director Fraser
Tanner.
“The first phase started towards the end
of last year’s season, while the ground was
still being used for County Championship
games, so as we began demolishing the old
stands we had hoardings in place to separate
our working areas from the pitch.”
As well as demolition and groundworks,
the first phase also includes the erection of
the main steel frames of the stands along
with precast floor and terrace units.
Phase two includes blockwork
installation, dry lining and M&E fit-out,
while the final phase includes bar and
restaurant fit-out, and the erection of the
stand’s steel-framed roofs and the steel link
bridge.
The steel roofs are architectural features
that top the stands. Elliptically-shaped, the
roofs are formed with a steel framework
that supports a further timber frame and a
canvas covering.
The bridge will link both stands at
second tier level, allowing spectators to
travel between the two hospitality areas. The
bridge will be 40m-long × 3.5m-wide and
supported on a single row of 7.5m-high CHS
columns.
Commenting on the use of steel, Buro
Happold Senior Structural Engineer Paul
Eddleston says: “The choice of steel for the
main frame was determined following a
fully detailed design, programming and
cost option study led by Buro Happold,
comparing in detail steel versus precast
versus in-situ solutions.
“It was the examination of the outcomes
of the Buro Happold-led exercise that
resulted in steel being selected for the frame,
whereas the initial project assumptions had
been for a concrete frame.”
WilkinsonEyre Project Director Sam
Wright adds: “The steel frame gives a clear
legibility to the gymnastics of the design,
Structural steelwork is playing an integral part in MCC’s
masterplan to redevelop its historic Lord’s Cricket Ground.
Martin Cooper reports on the first innings.
FACT FILE
Lord’s Cricket Ground
redevelopment
Main client:
Marylebone Cricket
Club (MCC)
Architect:
WilkinsonEyre
Main contractor: ISG
Structural engineer:
Buro Happold
Steelwork contractor:
Severfield
Steel tonnage: 2,300t
The two new stands
sit either side of the
existing media centre.
/Braced_frames
/Construction
/Leisure_buildings#Sightlines_and_seating
/Design_of_steel_footbridges
/Steel_construction_products#Structural_hollow_sections
/The_case_for_steel
/Cost_of_structural_steelwork
/Design