Foster + Partners unveils refurbished training ground for Manchester United

Architecture studio Foster + Partners has revamped the Carrington Training Complex for UK football team Manchester United, adding glazed facades to brighten the interior.

Foster + Partners aimed to modernise the complex, which was built in 1999 as the training ground for the Manchester United men's football team, to provide care and support to the players.

The studio retained most of the building's original structure, but brought more natural light into the interior by adding rooflights and glazed facades.

Timber elements and surfaces were introduced to the internal spaces, including under the arched roof, to add a sense of warmth.

"Every element has been honed to optimise players' health and wellbeing, with an emphasis on open-plan spaces, natural daylight and materials," said Foster + Partners head of studio, Nigel Dancey.

"Our design reconfigures the functional spaces and provides a seamless and intuitive journey through the building, with new state-of-the-art facilities that will aid recovery, preparation, and performance."

Foster + Partners added a separate players' entrance at the southern end of the building, connecting the car park to the dressing area.

The ground floor of the Carrington Training Complex contains new changing areas, medical suites with MRI and CT scanners, recovery spaces and a gym with an altitude room and hydrotherapy pools.

A curving staircase leads to the first floor, where a glazed lounge area opens onto an outdoor terrace overlooking the training pitches.

Elsewhere on the first floor is a kitchen, dining area and offices designed for coaching and post-match briefings, while a media room on an upper level features a conference room and filming studio.

Foster + Partners also updated the building's mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems to improve energy efficiency and performance.

Earlier this year, the studio unveiled its design for Manchester United's new 100,000-seat stadium, which will become the biggest stadium in the UK.

Other projects recently unveiled by Foster + Partners include plans for a retail development with a cantilevering restaurant in Istanbul, and its design for Paraguay's tallest skyscraper.

The photography is by Nigel Young.

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