Manchester United’s £50 million ($64 million) redevelopment of their Carrington training headquarters is being carried out by the architects who designed the HSBC Building in Hong Kong.
Foster + Partners will lead the project and work will start next week as they transform it into a “world-class” facility.
The British architects will refurbish all areas of the building to “support future success”, the Premier League club said in a statement on Friday.
It comes after a review of training facilities revealed that standards had fallen below those of their competitors, and following the opening of a state-of-the-art women’s and academy building last year.
“We want to create a world-class environment for our teams to win,” United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe said. “When we conducted a thorough review of the Carrington training facilities and met with our men’s first-team players, it was clear the standards had fallen below some of our peers.
“This project will ensure Manchester United’s training ground is once more renovated to the highest standards.”
The work is expected to last for the whole of the 2024/25 season, during which temporary adaptations will be made to accommodate players and staff.
Norman Foster, a star name in global architecture, has vowed to deliver a design to reflect the “spirit of industry, grit and ambition” of both the club and the city.
As well as the HSBC Building in Hong Kong, Foster has designed some of the world’s most iconic buildings, including London’s “Gherkin” skyscraper and the reconstructed Reichstag in Berlin.
“As a proud Mancunian, it is a particular honour for me to see Foster + Partners given this responsibility and we will ensure that our design captures the spirit of industry, grit and ambition that exemplifies both Manchester and Manchester United,” the architect said.
Ratcliffe is exploring options to either redevelop the existing venue or to build a new one on adjacent land.
The British billionaire took control of football operations at Old Trafford following his purchase of a 27.7 per cent stake in the club earlier this year.
A poor second campaign for the Dutchman ended on a high note as he led United to a shock 2-1 victory in the FA Cup final against rivals Manchester City.
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