Heatherwick Studio and Manica Architecture have unveiled plans for a 62,000-seat stadium, designed for Birmingham City Football Club in Birmingham, UK, that will be encircled by brick chimneys.
Planned as the centrepiece of the Sports Quarter in east Birmingham, this project marks Heatherwick Studio’s first stadium design. The stadium is a collaboration with US-based Manica Architecture and director Steven Knight.
The stadium, named the Powerhouse, will serve as the new home ground for Birmingham City Football Club, which plays in the Championship.
The distinctive design features 12 brick chimneys inspired by Birmingham’s historic brickworks, which will surround the stadium and provide support for the roof structure.
“Too often, stadiums feel like spaceships that could have landed anywhere, sterilising the surrounding area,” said Heatherwick Studio founder Thomas Heatherwick.
“This stadium grows from Birmingham itself – from its brickworks, its thousand trades, and the craft at its core,” he continued.
“It’s also wholeheartedly a place for the community. The stadium will truly come alive at ground level; a space for play, gathering, and daily life. Our aim is to capture the spirit of the city and return it to Birmingham.”
With a capacity of 62,000, the Powerhouse will become the second-largest stadium in the UK outside of London, following Manchester United’s Old Trafford, which is also undergoing a redesign by Foster + Partners.
Although detailed plans are limited, renders reveal a classic seating bowl topped by a steel roof, which appears to be suspended from the surrounding brick chimneys.
