for disabled fans continues with slopes and
discreet lifts, while for the hospitality areas F3
was proud to show its joiners’ innovation of a
lowerable counter section, so that all can enjoy
the theatre kitchen’s close-up view of the chefs
at work.
While standards have been raised
considerably for all the GA facilities, being the
‘best stadium’ in the world meant that premium
hospitality facilities had to take a step up too,
although there are several categories and, in a
sense, you do still get what you pay for. Some
areas are more open, some more private. For
the 55 individual boxes F3 created a range of
bespoke options: different layouts, materials,
and levels of facilities. For a price, these could
be entirely customised for the buyer – after all,
they’ve bought into it for up to 10 years. There
are also plenty of options for premium dining –
the best of the best, albeit with a ‘traditionally
male’ theme, such as steak and red wine, as F3
explains. One nice touch is Galvin at
Tottenham, which came about because
renowned chef Chris Galvin is a lifelong Spurs
fan. Other exclusive areas include The H Club –
up on level 4 of the west stand – and for a
number of fans the Tunnel Club is the ultimate
experience, with its player-adjacent position in
the bowels of the stadium. In a project of this
size and ambition, the demands of all the
different parties sometimes have conflicting
needs, and the Tunnel Club presents such a
challenge. As the name suggests, it is about
being down in the stadium, with an opportunity
to view to the all-important tunnel where the
teams wait to enter the pitch. However, the
club cannot compromise the players in any
way. The solution was to separate the two
spaces with a glass wall, which is two layers
thick for safety’s sake, tinted, and has blinds
that can be closed to shield injured players
from the fans’ gaze. The Tunnel Club is
thoroughly football-inspired – individual guest
lockers are meant to mimic a locker room, and
diagrams of player formations in the floor
encourage diners to talk tactics.
The design of the real player areas was all
important, with that of the changing rooms socrucial that they were redesigned a number of
times before being finished. The result should
have everything the players need to perform at
their best. Each footballer has their own locker,
personalised for each game with their name via
a video display. There is a double-hanger for
top and shorts, a seat that faces in towards the
middle for team talks, and a secure locker to
guard personal items. Technology ranges from
air-charging for phones to low-level extraction,
which whips the smells of the players’
exertions away from the room at foot level.
Beyond the changing rooms there are spa-like
facilities: plunge pools with carefully
positioned TV screens, a gym and medical
facilities. For the players’ families there is a
private lounge and a creche for their children.
As F3 says: ‘If the families are happy, the
players are happy.’
To this club and fiercely loyal fans, the best
surely means the design must feel like Spurs
through and through. The club keeps its history
close to its heart, and the new stadium pays
homage to this. For example, the threePROJECT 1 029Left The Tunnel Club. The
glass at the end of the room
gives fans a view of the
players walking out of the
tunnel onto the pitch
Left, below There are two
levels of retail space and a
sunken theatre space within
the shop
Right, top The changing
rooms were redesigned a
number of times in order to
get them right for the players
Right A variety of premium
hospitality facilities are
available and depend on
your budget