Leeds Arena Includes Tree-Lined Footpath and Piazza

Silva Cells are supporting a dozen hardscape trees, adding both ambiance and climate resiliency to the award-winning facility

“A shared design philosophy between Sweco and Populous resulted in a bold design for the main piazza responding to the architectural treatment of the arena façade. The installation of landscape features promoted the fluidity of movement throughout the space.”

-Grontmij UK (Sweco), project landscape architect

Leeds Arena Project

Number of Silva Cells: 160 (2x)
Number of Trees: 12
Type of Project: Streetscape, Plaza
Project Designer: Grontmij UK (Sweco)
Installation: 2013

Project Overview

One of the few major global cities without an arena, Leeds in 2010 sought to remedy this when it began work on a £60 million entertainment venue. What became known as First Direct Arena officially opened in 2013: a 13,500-seat arena that would play host to dozens of musical, comedic, and sports superstars over the next decade. This sustainably focused development also included an outdoor component: an adjacent piazza and streetscape renovation spearheaded by the landscape architecture team at Grontmij UK (now Sweco). In addition to accessibility and pedestrian enhancing features, designers wanted to incorporate greenery: 12 hardscape trees were planted in Silva Cells and given access to lightly compacted soil for mature growth, providing the community with both welcoming shade and air- and water-improvement benefits.

Installation

Piazza Trees

Vibrant Greenery

Silva Cells are providing a total of 116 cubic meters of soil volume to these plaza trees. This lightly compacted soil is ensuring an ideal root-growing environment for the new hardscape trees, which are now — just over a decade later — thriving on their way to healthy maturity. As these trees continue to grow, they offer increasing benefits to the community: heat island mitigation, air-quality improvement, carbon sequestration, etc. Furthermore, they create an aesthetically pleasing area for visitors to spend time, whether it’s going to and from an event or simply passing through the area on the way to another city activity.

"New tree planting provided green gateways to improve pedestrian flow."

-Grontmij UK (Sweco)

First Direct Arena Sustainability Features

► Minimum waste construction strategy

► Monitored energy usage

► Strategically location, near public transit hubs

First Direct Arena won "Best New Venue in the World" in 2014 (Stadium Business Awards)

Bruce Springsteen played the first ever concert in the arena on July 24, 2013

The arena's external honeycomb design lights up with personalized color patterns

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