THE ARENA SHOWS THE POWERFUL BENEFITS OF 3D MODELLING

摘要

A stadium is not the first building type that conies to mind when one thinks of an inviting public realm and a vibrant pedestrian neighbourhood. Yet these were defining aspects of the brief put to Wilkinson Eyre for the £118 million Liverpool Arena and Conference Centre, due to open in January for the city's inauguration as European Capital of Culture 2008. Wilkinson Eyre's first response was to re-site the building within EDAW's 14ha Kings Waterfront masterplan, moving the stadium from its initial inland location to the water's edge. This makes ultimate urban design sense. The stadium's massing and height take their cue from the adjacent Albert Dock, and its dramatic form will undoubtedly make the arena the latest landmark on the Liverpool waterfront. The more challenging part of the brief was to create an attractive pedestrian approach from the nearby city centre and reclaim the site's waterfront as a place for human activity.