Levelling The Playing Field
Levelling the Playing Field is a feminist-led architectural thesis that reimagines Manchester United’s Old Trafford Stadium as an inclusive, adaptive reuse project focused on transforming the historic ground into a bespoke home for the Manchester United Women’s Team. Rather than accepting the proposed demolition of the stadium to make way for a new 100,000-seater for the men’s team, the project poses a critical question: why shouldn’t the women’s team inherit and reimagine Old Trafford as their own? The design retains and adapts the existing structural bowl, embedding inclusive, dignified, and welcoming spaces throughout. These include feminist technologies such as sensory suites, baby change and feeding spaces, prayer rooms, and accessible viewing platforms. The proposal is supported by detailed architectural drawings, atmospheric visuals, and a sustainable water reclamation strategy beneath the pitch. A reimagined brick slip façade ties the stadium more closely to Manchester’s industrial heritage, offering a locally rooted alternative to contemporary precedents.
This thesis has been shaped by a deepening personal and professional interest in feminist architecture, inclusive spatial strategies, and the social responsibilities of design. By engaging with feminist technologies and actor-led narratives, I explored how architecture can meaningfully respond to users’ diverse needs. Postcard illustrations of key user experiences helped humanise and structure design decisions. The project also pushed me to reflect critically on my own positionality and privilege. My design process has increasingly centred on accessibility, sensory experience, and cultural context, culminating in detailed technical studies of construction, fire strategy, and sustainability since undertaking the teachings of the Praxis atelier. Ultimately, this process has reinforced my passion for designing with empathy and intention, and I now approach every architectural challenge through a lens of inclusivity and social impact.
