Trent Bridge takes top design award

TRENT Bridge's highly-acclaimed Fox Road Stand has already proved a hit with cricket fans and has now scooped a prestigious national design award.

The structure, designed by Nottingham architects Maber Associates, received the accolade last night from the Civic Trust, one of the most respected environmental design award schemes in Europe.

Nottinghamshire CCC Chief Executive David Collier said: "The Club is honoured to win this Civic Trust Award.

"The stand was opened on time and on budget in June 2002 and won many plaudits from spectators in its first full season.

"It takes the investment at the ground to more than £10 million in the past five years to create one of the most popular sporting and conference venues in the United Kingdom.

"The Club wishes to record its thanks to Colin Maber and Huw Evans of Maber Associates for the excellence of their designs not only with the Fox Road Stand but also the Radcliffe Road, Hound Road and Office Redevelopments."

The 2,300-seater stand cost £1.9 million to build, taking the number of permanent seats at Trent Bridge to more than 15,000 - the minimum required by the ECB to host internationals.

It was officially opened immediately prior to the NatWest Series One-day International between England and Sri Lanka in June last year.

Project Architect Huw Evans of Maber Associates added: "We are delighted that the Fox Road Stand has gained a Civic Trust Award.

"It provides recognition for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club's commitment to good design at Trent Bridge, and also acknowledges the successful integration of a contemporary design into a traditional setting."

On handing out the award, the award judges said: "The stand design is an elegant yet simple solution, which has ensured that a sense of scale has been retained within the cricket ground's traditional setting."

They also praised how the structure's contemporary design has been integrated into a traditional cricket arena as well as its unrestricted views of the action.