The All England Lawn Tennis Club has engaged SHH to restructure the debenture hospitality facilities at The Championships, Wimbledon.
Since 2014, SHH Architecture & Interiors have been collaborating with The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) on the design of restaurant and bar spaces across the Grounds for The Championships, Wimbledon. Having previously designed for a range of users, from Members to the media to general admission ticket holders, currently in development are areas within No.1 Court dedicated for the use of Centre Court and No.1 Court debenture holders.
Originally constructed in 1997, the debenture facilities in No.1 Court have been little altered since then, unlike the remainder of the stadium which was refreshed in 2019 with the addition of a retractable roof.
SHH have been working closely with the All England Club and their in-house Food & Drink team in developing proposals to restructure the debenture hospitality facilities over two floors, in the processes addressing issues of circulation, food service and distribution, guest experience, and the adequate provision of WC facilities, in parallel with reinforcing the All England Club’s guiding theme of “tennis in an English garden”.
Feasibility studies for the development began in 2019. Paused during the pandemic, the project was re-activated in 2023. The project brief requires the creation of two indoor and two outdoor restaurants, each supported by their own independent kitchens, with a combined and increased seating capacity of 900 covers. There is an additional need to upgrade MEP systems to modern environmental performance requirements, including the de-gassing of kitchen equipment, and in order to meet 2030 ‘net zero’ targets.
The studies encompass extensive space planning investigations, and the requirements associated with a range of food service operation models, concluding that to meet the brief, additional floor space is essential, therefore necessitating altering the building’s line. KSS Design Group, with their experience as Lead Architect for the addition of the retractable roof over No.1 Court, have been brought in to lead the architecture element of the project, with SHH retaining responsibility for interior architecture and interior design.
Main contractor Knight Harwood, having recently completed the Media Pavilion at the All England Club, have been appointed to undertake construction of the project, with the first phase of work to be handed over for The Championships 2026, and the second phase for 2027.
Andrew Edser, Senior Project Manager at the All England Club, says: “It is a pleasure to be working with SHH again on another prestigious project for our Centre Court and No.1 Court debenture holders. This complex project involves a full transformation of the No.1 Court debenture spaces, including structural modifications to increase the usable floor plate and new facades over both levels. SHH have been pivotal in meeting a challenging client brief and have once again struck the perfect balance of timeless design and understated quality”.