ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION The last 20 years have not only seen big changes in the way structures in stadia have been designed and constructed, but also the way in which sports pitches have developed. There has been much research into the science of sports pitch construction and management resulting in well-documented information on materials and design criteria, performance standards and management treatments. Performance and construction standards are readily related to by those in the construction industry, but there is one fundamental difference between sports pitch development and the remainder of stadia construction, namely the importance of biological principles. It is these biological principles which many architects, engineers and constructors fail to fully understand.
