Heatherwick Studio and Manica Architecture have been chosen to design a groundbreaking new stadium for Birmingham City Football Club as part of an ambitious $4 billion sports development project. The proposed Birmingham Sports Quarter will feature a massive 62,000-seat stadium, more than doubling the capacity of the Championship club's current home at St Andrews, which accommodates 27,500 spectators.
The announcement was made by Birmingham City's Chief Executive Tom Wagner at a government-backed regional investment summit in Birmingham on October 21. Wagner praised the winning design team, stating that Heatherwick and Manica would create a "truly extraordinary stadium, recognizable around the globe, yet rooted in the history of Birmingham." The selection comes after a competitive process that included submissions from several world-renowned architectural firms.
According to sources, the other architects who competed for this prestigious project included Populous, Herzog & de Meuron, Zaha Hadid Architects, and AECOM. AECOM's global director of sports is Dan Meis, who is also known for his work on Everton's new stadium. Manica Architecture, a U.S.-based sports specialist firm, is currently collaborating with Foster + Partners on a replacement for the iconic San Siro stadium in Milan, demonstrating their expertise in large-scale stadium projects.
Thomas Heatherwick, founder and design director of Heatherwick Studio, expressed his enthusiasm for the project in a statement emphasizing the community-centered approach to the design. "This is going to be an incredible piece of city built around the passions of the Blues fans and the community," Heatherwick said. "Not another spaceship dropped in a car park, which feels dead when there's not a match, but somewhere that's alive, connected, grown from the site and from the history of Birmingham itself. We couldn't be prouder."
David Manica, president of Manica Architecture, echoed this sentiment about the partnership and the project's significance. "We're thrilled to partner with Heatherwick Studio to design an extraordinary new home for Birmingham City Football Club," Manica stated. "This new stadium will not only usher in a new era for Birmingham fans but will honor the club's passionate supporters and storied history."
The vision for the sports quarter was first unveiled by Wagner in January 2024, following his acquisition of Birmingham City and his appointment as chief executive in July 2023. The ambitious development has received significant government support, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves backing the plans and announcing $2.4 billion in funding in June for a West Midlands Metro extension that would connect Birmingham city center to the planned sports quarter location in east Birmingham.
While Birmingham City has not yet released detailed information about the Heatherwick-Manica proposals, the comprehensive sports quarter is expected to include much more than just the stadium itself. Plans call for various sports facilities, a dedicated football academy, community football pitches, commercial and leisure spaces, and residential buildings. Images of the proposed designs are expected to be made public in November, giving fans and the community their first glimpse of the ambitious project.
Following the announcement, Wagner spoke to BBC Radio West Midlands about the selection process, revealing the high caliber of competition. "We had phenomenal presentations from a number of different, high-profile architects," Wagner explained. "The designs from start to finish were just unbelievable. This one just happened to stand a bit apart and we felt celebrated not only the history of the club, but more importantly the history of Birmingham and ties together what we're trying to do in the future and the incredible past of the City of a Thousand Trades."
Stephen Haines, Birmingham City's Chief Commercial Officer, provided additional insight into the decision-making process and the vision for the new stadium. "Thomas Heatherwick and his team, I think, are the best architects in the world anyway," Haines said. "They're British and I think Tom [Wagner's] choice to choose British is really important. What this stadium will do is grow out of the ground, it will be part of the tradition of the club. It's not a spaceship that's landed and then you throw events around it."
Haines further elaborated on how the design philosophy would balance innovation with tradition. "It's to do with where we come from, where we've been, and what the club is going to be," he explained. "It's going to be very impressive, state of the art, and modern as hell, but it's going to nod to the past." This approach reflects a growing trend in stadium design that emphasizes community integration and historical connection rather than isolated architectural statements.
The Birmingham Sports Quarter represents the first major project in Birmingham for both Heatherwick Studio and Manica Architecture. Heatherwick Studio has previous experience in football stadium design, having worked on a new riverside stand for Premier League team Fulham, though Populous later took over that project. The studio is known for innovative public projects worldwide, including the Vessel at Hudson Yards in New York and the UK Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo.
Manica Architecture brings significant expertise in sports venue development to the partnership. The firm has been collaborating with Grimshaw on the YTL Arena in Bristol, an innovative project that involves converting former aircraft hangars used for Concorde into a new music venue scheduled to open in 2028. Additionally, practice founder David Manica has experience with London's O2 Arena, having worked on the project during his time as an employee of HOK Sport, which is now known as Populous.
This massive development project represents one of the most significant urban regeneration initiatives in Birmingham's recent history. The new stadium and surrounding facilities are expected to create thousands of jobs, attract international attention, and serve as a catalyst for broader economic development in the region. The integration of residential, commercial, and recreational facilities alongside the stadium reflects modern approaches to sports venue development that prioritize year-round activation and community benefit rather than single-use facilities that remain dormant between events.
