The challenge
Movement Strategies was commissioned by the Organising Committee several times throughout the planning and construction stages of the flagship venue Alexander Stadium ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Games.
Alexander Stadium underwent significant capacity increases in advance of the Games which increased strain on the limited space available for circulation and transport operations.
With stretched development budgets and a pressing timeline, crowd modelling was essential to understand exactly how to operate the venue successfully and minimise expensive landscaping changes.
Our response
Movement Strategies supported the venue management team on a huge range of planning elements, eventually becoming an crucial advisor on all planning decisions that may impact crowd movement within the grounds and across the transport operations.
Some elements covered within our work are:
Reviewed early capacity uplift plans and highlighted plaza and exit route requirements to ensure venue remains compliance with green guide.
Assessed existing head of stair barrier through computer simulations and real-world observations of a test event, allowing infrastructure to remain in place given certain operational changes for the Games period.
Modelled impact on circulation of an unplanned curb installed at a late stage of development and outlined mitigation stategy that avoided the need for further landscape changes.
Dynamic models allowed holistic assessment of the entire site egress to establish the optimal routing strategy. Then worked closely with venue teams to agree supproting stewarding and signage strategy.
Development of a full transport mall operational plan were available footfall was limited due to landscaping constraints. Liasied across multiple teams to ensure facilitate a co-ordinated approach and seamless spectator experience.
Assessed specific challenges related to hosting additional user groups such as VIPs, Games family and performers during the opening and closing cermony. Identifying operational requirements to manage users with varying routing, arrival/departure and security needs.
The impact
Initially brought in to review the proposed capacity increase, we immediately highlighted other design elements required to ensure the venue remained compliance, thus avoiding major roadblocks down the line. This early value-add sling-shotted our involvement in Games planning across 13 different venues.
Movement Strategies became an invaluable part of the planning process, eventually moving to an agreement that allowed the venue management team to regularly consult us with key decisions made on the ground.
By improving the venue operational approach, the team was able to avoid further infrastructure work across the venue grounds that saved over £100,000 in construction work.
Additionally our support of the transport mall operations settled fears that further landscaping was necessary and provided central coordination across the many teams involved in the operation.