ABSTRACT

Philip Johnson and Tom Jones are architects at Populous

KEY POINTS: x All sports are conducted on a field of play, whether that is a

pitch, track, course, pool, field or court. The governing body for each sport will generally define dimensional requirements

x Within certain dimensional ranges, a number of surfaces are capable of accommodating a number of sports

x When planning indoor facilities, the designer must take into account the height of the performance space required for each sport. Some vary according to the standard of competition so governing bodies should be consulted

x When designing sightlines, the designer must determine what is required to be seen. This could be the touchlines of a pitch, the likely height of a rugby ball kicked high into the air, or the referee sat high on a chair. It should also be remembered that it may be impossible to see the entire course

Contents 1 Executive summary 2 General introduction 3 Field of play 4 Viewing structures 5 Sports equipment 6 Support facilities for competitors and officials 7 Support facilities for spectators 8 Facilities for the media 9 Support accommodation for facility management

10 Examples of sports facilities for various sports 11 Bibliography 12 Case study

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Sports facilities take many forms but this chapter provides guidance for their technical design whether they are used for competition, training or recreation. The guidance is set out starting with the key dimensional data of the field of play for each sport, followed by principles to be applied to the design of viewing structures, and lastly the accommodation for the various users of the facility. A comprehensive reference bibliography is included at the end of the chapter as this field of design is technically complex; but because it evolves from year to year, designers should consult the guidance from the governing body of each sport, and other regulatory and guidance frameworks.