The New Lansdowne Road

Jayuu

Was there today. From the inside its a spectacular stadium. I have to say that the lower end doesn't look as bad from the inside even though its only got one tier of seating. That's because the structure of the stand rises quite high above it. The stadium feel both expansive and compact at the same time which I know sounds like a contradiction but its just the way it feels.

Given the lower attendance today - it was put at around 35,000 - and the not really exciting game there wasn't a huge amount of noise in the ground. However I have to say that because of the bowl shape of the stand (even with the lower end) the sound tends to stay inside the stadium. On the few occassions that the Mexican Wave got going you could hear the level rise considerably. I expect that with full attendance and competitive games the noise level will be amazing. The Lansdowne Roar will be there and may even be stronger. If the teams do well in their opening matches and get the crowd behind them it could become quite an intimidating place for opponents.

I was in the Upper West Tier in a second row seat, right at the front of the tier. I don't know if this has been mentioned in regard to the restricted seats but as chance would have it I ended up in a seat right beside the press seating area and because of the way the press area is laid out - with long desks for notes and built in screens for them to watch the game - there are restricted views here. I couldn't see anything that happened in the right hand near corner of the pitch. The people in front of me were right at the edge of the tier and they weren't as badly affected. I don't know what it was like in similar seats further back but I can't imagine their view was better. I assume that if you were on the other side of the press area you would have similar problems with the left hand corner of the pitch.

I took a lot of photos and will download them later and post any that I think are worthy. I still think its a great stadium and a vast improvement on what was there before. However I think I'll be looking for East Stand tickets for any future games I might go to see.

Cookiemunster

I was in the corner of the East and West stands and the back of the upper deck. While I could see the pitch perfectly, my wiew of the rest of the stadium was blocked by the roof (see attched) and the ball got lost behind the girders during a garryowen. I also noticed that everyone on the lower deck got soaked ( East, West and South) when it rained.
While I agree with Jayuu about the atmosphere and what that will be like when full, I think they got the roof totally wrong and it detracts from an otherwise great stadium.

Mc Love

Kristian_

Quote Bill O'Herlihy '69 bars and a wind tunnel':D
The posts at the north end will defo be a pain for place kickers, really visable from tv pics just how undefined they are.
I'm not blown away by the shots on tv, it looks ok.

recyclebin

Just after seeing the match highlights on RTE. The goals become invisible on television when the camera is positioned behind the kicker. I don't know what they will do to fix this. They might have to have stripey black and white posts or maybe yellow. Either way it's something they should have considered when they decided to put in so much white steel work at that end of the pitch.

xper

Yep, was in the front of the lower west stand near the halfway line (bet I won't get tickets that good for competitive matches!). I was very impressed generally. There was a surprisingly good sense of enclosure and, of course, the action is much closer than at Croker. The roof trusses don't detract from much from that low down (but a couple of those pictures above look horrific).

I agree with the above comment that, given it was a meaningless match in a 2/3's full stadium, the crowd noise and atmospherics were quite noticable. That's very welcome.

I also stayed dry even though I was just ten or twelve rows back and so did everyone in front of me as far as I could tell. The exodus from the lower west and south front rows as the downpour happened at the start of the second half was unfortunate. Punters sitting there are always going to be at risk of getting wet when it rains. This should be no surprise. Our prevailing wind is westerly. The stadium roof doesn't close. This isn't a design flaw, its a fact of life. Buy west stand tickets or dress accordingly.

The blending in of the posts at the northern end is a true issue but I would imagine one that would be solved easily by using coloured posts - think I've seen these in use elsewhere - maybe yellow or light green.

Good circulation space around the bar areas inside (but the numbers were low of course). The ceilings is a little lower than at Croker but not too bad. The colour scheme there isn't to my taste but that's a minor quibble. Thought the (single) entrance to the one gents I used was a little tight for the number of people using it. One thing though that really surprised me was the lack of directional signage in some corridors. Other signs inside and out also seemed a little on the small side or out of the way.

Full marks to the guard who threw out the muppet with the vuvuzela on the far side - biggest cheer of the afternoon!

Jayuu

People might talk about the goalposts merging into the background yet there was only one of four conversions missed in the second half and most of them were from quite tricky angles. I don't think this is as big a problem as is made out. If these young placekickers can do it I don't see why more experienced internationals should have any major issues.

What might be interesting is to work out whether the setting sun will ever have any effect through the structure?

Jayuu

A couple of pics. Can't host them anywhere else so will have to set them as attachments.

Jayuu

And a few more.

coylemj

In keeping with the 'green' trend, they now have three different bins for segregated waste, the only problem is that because the bins are in sets of three, they can't put them beside pillars and there isn't room to have as many sets as you'd have had single bins for general waste. The bins that are there are typically located away from the main concourses and with the large crowds people just couldn't be bothered walking 10m to a bin so most people abandoned plastic pint glasses and food containers on the counters, on the ground and even in the water fountains!

Where previously they'd have had large round bins located all over the place, the situation in the Aviva is that there's never a bin close by so people don't use the ones that are there.

Son of Stupido

oh well....when they come round to finishing the Havelock Sq end of the ground they can find a new solution to the roof.


The Steel trusses are odd....and thats the only word I can use to describe them. They seem oversized and bulky and detract from the stadium as a whole.

I would have thought two plain arches over the side ends and smaller ones over the end, braced from the back would have been self supporting and hold the external shape and finish of the roof, which a lot of people like.

They got the roof wrong on this. Thats what you get when structural engineers try their hand at design (no offence but I suspect if an architect was involved - as Nortman Foster was on wembly - we might have got something a bit more astethicly pleasing!

P.s. dont get any tickets from rows A - N on the lower tier, People got soaked by the rain AND the drips off the edge of the roof. Not pleasent

Son of Stupido

...just to start the rumour mill....

IRFU own a lot of houses at that end.

LeinsterDub

xper wrote: »

I also stayed dry even though I was just ten or twelve rows back and so did everyone in front of me as far as I could tell. The exodus from the lower west and south front rows as the downpour happened at the start of the second half was unfortunate. Punters sitting there are always going to be at risk of getting wet when it rains. This should be no surprise. Our prevailing wind is westerly. The stadium roof doesn't close. This isn't a design flaw, its a fact of life. Buy west stand tickets or dress accordingly.!

The wind wasn't the issue the roof is . All 3 stands got wet on a perfectly windless day. In the east and south stand it reached 12 rows back.

With a swirling wind you'll need to dress accordingly no matter were you sit if you have lower tier tickets, that or risk sitting in the upper tier and not being able to read the scoreboard

BluntGuy

The views shown in those pictures range from underwhelming to adequate. The trusses really look dreadful. Of course I'll have to experience it first-hand to form a final judgement.

Thanks for the snaps btw, lads. :cool:

JohnC.

It's not unusual for rows in open roof stadiums to get rain, is it?

Lapin

Kahless wrote: »

It's not unusual for rows in open roof stadiums to get rain, is it?

No, but you would at least expect the seats directly under the roof to have shelter from the rain.
These ones are at the top of the upper west stand. Furthest away from the pitch !

ohnoigotsick

Lapin wrote: »

No, but you would at least expect the seats directly under the roof to have shelter from the rain.
These ones are at the top of the upper west stand. Furthest away from the pitch !

you can get the same in the upper sections in croke park to be fair - depends on the way the wind blows

Judgement Day

Judgement Day wrote: »

For your information and from my experience it is by 'spamming', as you call it, that things get done in this country. If you want action you rattle as many cages as possible and perhaps something will come of it. What's your own expertise in this field? And, no, what's wrong with this country is that people won't get of their loathsome spotty behinds and bother kicking up about anything until it's too late. Incidentally, it's more than 'a feckin bit of graffiti' and I suggest you take a DART trip from Howth to Greystones to fully appreciate the extent of the problem.

Passed the new Lansdowne Road stadium today for the first time since raising this issue on 12/7/10 and I am happy to report that the offending graffiti has been removed - although if you know where to look you can still see the outline. Perhaps it was as a result of the 'spamming' but we will probably never know. Thanks everybody who indulged in the spamming. Now if we could turn our attention to the entire DART line which is a national eyesore.

Judgement Day

Oh dear - passed the stadium again today and the graffiti is back in the same place. I suppose another round of spamming is called for. Incidentally, the whole rail system in the Greater Dublin Area is quite unbelievable in terms of graffiti and absolutely nothing being done about it. As I've said before it's only a matter of time before some 'artist' gets mown down by a train, and while this may serve them right what about the unfortunate driver and emergency people who have to clear up afterwards? I have written to IE's CEO repeatedly on the issue and John Gormley but you might as well be hitting your head off a brick wall. :mad:

BrianD

Judgement Day wrote: »

Oh dear - passed the stadium again today and the graffiti is back in the same place. I suppose another round of spamming is called for. Incidentally, the whole rail system in the Greater Dublin Area is quite unbelievable in terms of graffiti and absolutely nothing being done about it. As I've said before it's only a matter of time before some 'artist' gets mown down by a train, and while this may serve them right what about the unfortunate driver and emergency people who have to clear up afterwards? I have written to IE's CEO repeatedly on the issue and John Gormley but you might as well be hitting your head off a brick wall. :mad:

In New York in the 1980s they had a great way of getting rid of graffiti on their carriages. They noted it took 3 days for an artist to complete his work. 1 to pait the area white, Day 2 to do the outline and Day 3 to paint it. On Day 4 the authorities took the carriage out of service and repainted it. 3 days of work by the offender disappears and no opportunity to show it off. It worked and vandalism by graffiti was all but stopped.

Perhaps that's what we need here. Let it go up and then white wash it immediately.

As for the Aviva, looks amazing on the skyline but I must say that all those trusses do not look good as a specatator or on TV. Particularly at the Havelock square end.

It's very efficient from an environmental point as view as well. I got a tour of it before it opened and they were talking about rainwater collection from the roof and that the toilets have some sort of "intelligent" flushing system. I think this translates into that all the urinals don't flush automatically every day of the year. Apparently at the other large stadium in the city, they do.

Interesting that it's declared a smoke-free venue. I wonder will Croker follow suit?

DWCommuter

I thought croker was already a smoke free venue?

trellheim

Croker seats are nonsmoking, but there are smoking zones in the open circulation areas behind. Aviva is entirely nonsmoking ( which is a bit Nazi IMHO ) and doesn't inspire going there for corporates or entertainment.

DWCommuter

trellheim wrote: »

Croker seats are nonsmoking, but there are smoking zones in the open circulation areas behind. Aviva is entirely nonsmoking ( which is a bit Nazi IMHO ) and doesn't inspire going there for corporates or entertainment.

Totally OTT decision.

Bluetonic

trellheim wrote: »

Aviva is entirely nonsmoking ( which is a bit Nazi IMHO ) and doesn't inspire going there for corporates or entertainment.

The problem is there is no outside circulation area's in the Aviva like Croke Park.

Even the podium at the West Stand is before the ticket barriers. Ever other area of the stadium is enclosed or pitch facing 'enclosed'.

rubino

there is a north facing balcony in the Presidents hall where the blazers can smoke

Poster King

Interesting thread on Leinster Fans forum about safety concerns after the game on Saturday. Sounds pretty serious.

http://forum.leinsterfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18607

I am also very dismayed to read that the bars are not open after the game. What a missed opportunity for more income. This would also ease the rush after final whistle.
(I was at the game but had to leave before final whistle)

dowlingm

Poster King wrote: »

I am also very dismayed to read that the bars are not open after the game. What a missed opportunity for more income. This would also ease the rush after final whistle.

If you read An Bord Pleanala's inspector's report on Lansdowne II (I try and avoid using A***a), the better facilities at the new place were supposed to keep people hanging around and reduce crowding!

Well done there...

Rashers72

Check out:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2010/1008/1224280633151.html

We'll see have they finally got it right tonight.

L1011

Two things on that article:

The "newly built" tunnel under the railway line has been there since the 'new' West Stand was built in, what, the 1950s? There's even a painted on sign on the wall of it with the block numbers from the old stadium! It was just out of use for the entire time it appears.

And if they manned and opened Grand Canal Dock properly the problem of people coming the other way down Lansdowne Road itself would be nearly gone - its people coming from the north end to get a DART thats causing problems. Barry Kenny seems to forget there is a *third platform* in GCD so they could allow extra DARTs to be stabled here.

Sponge Bob

Mate of mine has been at 3 matches there, he says he dreads what will happen when the rugby mob get a full house with bars open because the toilets in Lansdowne Road are designed really really badly. He reckons they will be pissing in the sinks.

He also reckons a woman must have designed the mens toilets, the mirrors are inside the door with the jax at the end.