Middle East Stadium Legacy Planning

Planning and building new stadiums is something the Middle East has become very adept at. Legacy planning for those stadiums has a more chequered history.

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Delivering projects on a tight timeframe for a major sporting event in four- or five-years’ time is a daunting task, and often the legacy aspect is overlooked. What happens to these highly specialised buildings once the fixtures are over?

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The question is one of urban design.  While some new stadiums are embedded within the urban zones of mega projects, others are not; and some are located right at the periphery of urban areas.

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Some new stadiums seem destined for a successful after-life, but others look set to languish.

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The “sports city” concept is nothing new but should be widened – elevating the stadium as a community facility and placing it at the centre of urban life. The venue should be the hub around which other mixed-use functions in the city quarter revolve.

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This is true “integrated development”, where a range of complimentary uses are stacked: retail, entertainment, office, residential, hotels and serviced apartments – placed above a transport hub.

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With the stadium at the centre, its legacy is assured.