Pitch/Pitch: a new concept for stackable football pitches

Football is universal – it brings universal joy to millions across the world and it brings communities together.

But there is a problem as London suffers from a chronic lack of space for sport. Children no longer play in the streets as they once did and adults who want an informal game after work are frustrated by a lack of spaces and by high costs for what is available.

Pitch/Pitch is a series of stackable 5-a-side football pitches to be erected on derelict or temporarily vacant sites across London.

Pitch/Pitch is designed to be a temporary installation. Fast and easy to erect, it could last for a fortnight to coincide with a World Cup tournament or last for a year while a site lies dormant.

It encourages the theatre of the game, with spectators and would-be players drawn in as Pitch/Pitch animates the cityscape.

Pitch/Pitch allows the game to retain an urban flavour, adapting to the number of players, from 3-a-side upwards, and awkward shaped sites. And it could also host other activities such as dance classes for children and adults during the day.

Working with Arup, we designed a modular system using a lightweight carbon-fibre structure.

We are now working with partners with a view to financing and implementing the scheme across London.