The Etihad Stadium, officially known as the City of Manchester Stadium, is located in the Eastlands area of Manchester.
The Etihad Stadium is the home ground of Manchester City Football Club, one of the most successful football clubs in England and Europe. Manchester City, often referred to as “City” or “Man City,” moved to the stadium from their former home at Maine Road in 2003. The club has since enjoyed a period of significant success, winning multiple Premier League titles, FA Cups, and other domestic and international honours.
The stadium was designed by the architectural firm Arup Associates. Initially conceived as part of Manchester’s bid for the 2000 Summer Olympics, the stadium was ultimately constructed for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Its design reflects the dual purpose of accommodating athletic events and later being converted to a football stadium, ensuring versatility and modernity in its structure.
Post-Commonwealth Games, the stadium underwent significant modifications to convert it into a football-specific venue. These changes included lowering the playing surface and adding an additional tier of seating, increasing its capacity to approximately 53,000 spectators. The transition was expertly managed to maintain the integrity of the original design while adapting it for its new primary use, and adding prominent nods to Manchester’s rich musical and cultural past.
Eastlands MCR 2023 is a series of photographs by Richard Davis focusing on the design and architecture Manchester City’s Ethiad stadium and the surrounding Eastlands area in 2023, the year the club completed a historic treble. The limited edition A5 zine contains 31 colour photographs across 40 pages.
Eastlands MCR 2023 | Richard Davis
A series of photographs by Richard Davis focusing on the design and architecture Manchester City’s Ethiad stadium and the surrounding area.
A limited edition A5 zine containing 31 colour photographs across 40 pages.
Davis’ pictures of what was an award winning design at its conception show the ground in all its glory, with the crisp blue, grey and white colours and a bright sky further enhancing its artistic look.
Twenty years since they left Maine Road, the newly crowned Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup treble champions have come a long way, without ever sacrificing their roots.
The Ethiad Stadium might be the name, but the City of Manchester Stadium, built for the Commonwealth Games in 2002, is how it began life, and where the most recent chapter of the Manchester City success story started to unfold.
“Modern day Manchester has always done things in style and aesthetics is an important part of Manchester Culture.” Richard Davis
The stadium is not only a focal point for Manchester City matches but also hosts concerts and other major events, enhancing its status as a key landmark in Manchester. With its distinctive architecture and central role in the city’s sports culture, the Etihad Stadium stands as a testament to modern design and the vibrant life of Manchester.
Midlands born Richard Davis has an impressive archive of pictures that captures the music and football scenes in the north west of England during the 80s and 90s which can be seen at British Culture Archive and has a series of publications with Café Royal Books.
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