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Brentford Community Stadium

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The newest stadium in London, at a capacity of 17,250, Brentford Community Stadium is the joint home of Brentford FC and London Irish. The stadium forms the centrepiece of a mixed-use masterplan, offering residential accommodation and regenerative opportunities.

Designed alongside a robust business plan for an aspirational client, Brentford Community Stadium has delivered on its promise to the club and fans. A new home fit for the Premier League, offering an exceptional experience with world-class hospitality options, yet staying true to its roots and the essence of Brentford FC.

The future of community stadia.

17,250
Capacity
1,937
Premium seats
2,866
Total hospitality capacity

Driving forward a new model for the future – a medium-capacity stadium with premium seating, joint-tenancy and a sustainable player base

Brentford Stadium balances ambition with fanbase passion and commercial viability. The design was developed in step with a robust business model that also fully considered the club’s community initiatives, development of the player base, ultimate promotion and potential host for major events. For this reason, the stadium is Premier League and UEFA-compliant and will be a host venue for the Women's European Championship.

Hospitality options were modelled out together with the club’s financial, marketing and catering teams to provide a wide range of offers, targeted to precise demographics. This involved creating schedules and models detailing occupation ratios, views from lounges and quality benchmarking to realistic targets.

The success of this study has meant that the club targeted sales early and almost sold out their hospitality months before completion.

"At all stages, AFL Architects have worked collaboratively with the project team to develop intelligent design solutions to the brief. Working within the constraints of a tight site, the team has responded enthusiastically and innovatively to the challenges presented."
Alan Walsh, Director of Operations, Brentford FC

Four stands bound by a triangular form - the distinctive design has been influenced by a uniquely shaped site

The stadium is surrounded on all sides by the M4 and two railway lines. Even with these restrictions, the bowl maximises seat capacity with exceptional views, creates a revenue stream with adjacent residential developments, and leaves room for future expansion.

Due to the club’s growth plans, the business case supported the need for a new build stadium rather than redevelopment of the existing Griffin Park. The site was assessed together with the client and chosen due to its proximity to the existing venue, future flexibility, community requirements and site potential for wider masterplan development.

Planning involved close consultation with Network Rail to reach an agreement and enable assembly of the land necessary to deliver the masterplan.

The stadium is a forward-looking venue which provides compliant facilities for Premiership Football and Rugby Union

By providing a joint venue, the stadium is built on a foundation of commercial viability. London Irish RFC will also be able to attract a larger supporter base within its original home catchment area. The stadium is only a few miles away from the club’s training base at Hazelwood, Sunbury, also designed by AFL.

The challenge of implementing joint branding for both clubs has been met through simple yet highly effective means. Lighting throughout the concourses can be changed quickly from red to green. The lounges also retain a neutrality while being unmistakeably unique to Brentford Stadium – a hexagonal motif appears throughout the interiors, both referencing The Bees and the angular venue itself.

Seat colouration is not club specific. Rather, it has been modelled out to produce the illusion of a stadium at full capacity. Originally designed for the benefit of broadcasted matches, the impact of the pandemic has further supported the use of this technique when reduced numbers of fans return to the stadium under social distancing regulations.

Supporters finally have a stadium that reflects their ambitions and passion for the future of Brentford FC, and London Irish RFC can return to their home turf.

AFL Architects Brentford Stadium 10
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