The Sporting Factory
My thesis, based in Crewe, investigates how architectural design can restore the relationship between Crewe Alexandra Football Club and its local community. The football club, once a central part of the town’s identity, has become increasingly disconnected due to urban separation and changing patterns of use around the stadium. In response, the proposal introduces a new Cultural and Sports Hub positioned between Mornflake Stadium and Crewe railway station. The building creates a link between the club, the town, and the wider public, using sport as a tool for engagement and regeneration.
The scheme includes a youth training facility, rehabilitation space for former players, multipurpose public sports courts, and a plaza for Crewe Alexandra fans and residents to gather. These uses are brought together in a single structure that encourages interaction between different groups supporters, young people, passers-by, and local residents. The architecture is designed to support active lifestyles and sporting pride, positioning the football club as a positive influence in everyday life.
The project was developed through urban analysis, archival research, and crowd movement mapping on matchdays. Understanding historical land use, street patterns, and pedestrian behaviours helped inform the building’s orientation and massing.
This builds on my ongoing interest in social infrastructure and the role architecture can play in shaping inclusive, active environments.
