PROPOSALS for a new training academy and community stadium for Newcastle United have been revealed – showcasing cutting edge design and a look to the future for the North East club.
Following the recent takeover of the Premier League team, GT3 Architects have proposed a new design for several new facilities that will serve players and staff at the club, as well as the communities surrounding the city of Newcastle.
The proposed community stadium will offer a dedicated home for the women’s team and academy team, as well as buildings for the first-team to use.
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Facilities in the proposal include a 7000-seat open stadium, including safe standing area, Wembley Way style access route with retail opportunities, 3,000m2 studio and classroom space, while also adding a meeting and event space and a semi-private media suite.
In addition, the proposal has managed to include 13 full-size external pitches and fitness trails including repurposed hill-climbing areas.
The adjacent training academy will also offer state-of-the-art facilities, including Timber diagrid roof, a 60-bed hotel, offering on-site accommodation and living spaces for academy players, player facilities, including changing rooms, fitness suites, physio rooms and training facilities and sports and conditioning suites, including hydro pools, hyperbaric chambers, and relaxation areas.
This will link with the private meeting spaces and access routes and underground parking for first-team privacy.
Paul Reed, associate director and sport and leisure lead at GT3 Architects, who was involved in the design of the Manchester City Academy Stadium & Training Ground, London Olympic Stadium and Parc Olympique Lyonnais, is looking forward to designing the future plans.
He said: “Given our people-first approach, sports and leisure expertise, and being a proud North East practice, the idea of creating a design for a key part of our city and its community was something our team were excited to start exploring.
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“Our design proposal embraces the three different elements of football for Newcastle: first team training, academy training, and women's football.
“Some of my most powerful memories of Newcastle United is watching the players train during the Keegan era - building a bond between the club and the community, all whilst providing the resources needed for elite sport, is difficult, but it’s a challenge we’ve loved addressing.
Supported by a small task force, Paul reviewed training academies and stadium built across Europe in the last five years, drawing out the opportunities and challenges presented by each.
The resulting design concept revolves around the use of naturally rich materials and a rising scale of privacy to break down barriers between elite sport and the local community, reuniting players and people in a facility that is welcoming to all.
Mr Reed added: “We’d like to encourage people to get in touch with their thoughts, including football fans, sports and leisure experts, fans of the club, and NUFC themselves. This design is a conversation starter, and we’d love to be part of that dialogue.
“As architects and master planners, our goal is to tackle the challenges facing communities through people-focused design.
"We want to break down barriers and create a facility that benefits not only the athletes that train there, but the people who make the club a success – the fans, the future players, the people of Newcastle.”
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