Murrayfield Stadium redesigns, Edinburgh venue, Scottish arena building, Harry Styles Love On Tour show

Murrayfield’s Stadium Redesigns & Other Renovated Stadium Architecture

25th September 2023

In the world of architecture, few structures encapsulate the soul and spirit of a nation quite like sports stadiums. The UK, with its rich tapestry of sporting history, is home to some of the most iconic and innovative stadiums, each telling a story of design evolution, cultural significance, and technological advancement.

Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, a name that resonates with reverence in rugby circles, is a prime example of this blend between heritage and modernisation. As architectural trends shift, the demands of sports enthusiasts evolve, and areas modernise, so does the need for our stadiums to adapt.

A significant year of events & changes for Murrayfield Stadium

May this year marked a significant moment for the Scottish stadium as popular musician, Harry Styles broke the record for Scotland’s biggest-selling stadium show. The stadium was filled with more than 65,000 fans who came to see his Love On Tour show in the city.

The stadium was also home to two other musical greats in 2023, Beyonce and Bruce Springsteen, on separate dates earlier this year. Fans of Springsteen enjoyed an incredible three-hour show which consisted of twenty-nine songs on the set list.

Formerly known as the BT Murrayfield stadium, the home of Scottish rugby was also renamed as ‘Scottish Gas Murrayfield’. The new partnership is set to help the Scottish community reduce their carbon footprint and energy bills.

Holmes Miller & renovations at Murrayfield Stadium

1994 – Murrayfield Stadium was designed by Holmes Miller and has a capacity of 67,500 seats. The building cost £44m and is located west of Edinburgh City Centre.

2010 – Saw the stadium’s perimeter boundary altered due to the construction of Edinburgh’s new tram system. Over 300 metres of fencing was installed which had to meet security and access requirements as well as meeting crowd control standards.

2019 – Holmes Miller also completed a fit-out for Murrayfield Stadium to renovate the national team changing room which cost £300.000. The sleek horseshoe-shaped changing room allows the team to group together around a screen to watch clips outside of the game.

Stadium designs in recent years

As stadiums are no longer just about the sports games, more and more establishments are seeking redesigns and renovations to become more multi-functional and cater for larger seating capacities. Sustainability is also another important feature which stadiums are looking at in redesigns, to become more sustainable and greener constructions.

Whether it’s the Wembley Stadium or Anfield Park, there are plenty of sports stadiums across the UK which undergo renovations and updates. Some of the top football stadiums which host iconic football games go through redesigns from time to time to receive modern updates, usually to increase seating capacity or add new features.

Bath Rugby put forward a proposed redevelopment which gained a response from Apollodorus Architecture, a British studio which then designed a Colosseum-like stadium for Bath. Apollodorus Architecture’s proposed scheme would be oval in shape, inspired by Roman amphitheatres, offering a classical alternative to Bath’s stadium. Mark Wilson Jones, director of Apollodorus Architecture, said that the oval design choice was well-chosen given Bath’s Romano-British origins.

Manchester City recently had its £300m plans approved by the local council to expand the Etihad Stadium. According to a report from Secret Manchester, the plans included proposed expansion to the ground which includes a City Square fan zone, food and drink outlets, a hotel, a brand new club shop, and much more. The stadium capacity is set to increase to over 60,000 and a sky bar will be created on the upper tier to provide views overlooking the pitch.

The Etihad Stadium is used for matches in the Premier League along with many other iconic stadiums. With its current 53,400 seating capacity being used for the 2023/24 EPL season, Manchester United have played three times at the Etihad so far, their most impressive win so far being 5-1 against Fulham. As of September 25th, Manchester City are currently top of the tables with 18 points, playing and winning all six of their games. City are also currently a favourite on Bet MGM to win the Premier League competition with 7/20 odds of winning and will play their next Etihad Stadium game against Brighton in late October. The recently planned ground expansion and increased seating capacity for the stadium will help encourage more fans to visit this iconic and modernised football stadium.

Luton Town also has plans for stadium renovations with groundworks expected to start at the end of 2023. With a 2026 completion date as a target, the renovated stadium would take centre stage for a town district regeneration project with new homes, restaurants, community centres, and more being added. The council agreed to £400,000 worth of stadium improvements to aid in new cameras, steps, and new entrances to the Bobbers Stand.

Comments for this guide to Murrayfield Stadium redesigns – architecture article are welcome.