Wembley Stadium

Anyone venturing into north London will find it difficult to miss a new landmark as prominent as the City’s ‘Gherkin’: the 315m span and 133m high arch of the new Wembley Stadium. Not complete at the time of writing, the rebuilt stadium will be open by mid-2006, catering to some 90,000 fans of soccer, rugby, music events and even athletics. Apart from serving as metropolitan landmark, the arch lends critical support to a roof that includes a sliding section (some 25% of the total roof area), thus obviating the need for supporting columns and, importantly, allowing natural daylight onto the grass pitch (as well as sheltering spectators during events). The latter sit in one single bowl as opposed to the old stadium’s four sectors, but they will be able to enjoy some traditional Wembley rituals — such as trophy presentations from a Royal Box. At the time of writing everyone is rather upset that the building has not only cost a considerable sum, but that it is too late for crucial annual soccer matches. No doubt all this will be soon forgotten.