Blues Reveal Vision for Landmark Stadium with Twelve Towering Chimneys
Birmingham City Football Club has unveiled dramatic plans for a new 62,000 capacity stadium featuring twelve chimney like structures supporting a fully retractable roof.
Designed by Heatherwick Studio in partnership with United States stadium specialist Manica, the proposed ground would form the centrepiece of a new Birmingham Sports Quarter in Bordesley Green.
Known as the Birmingham City Powerhouse Stadium, the project is expected to cost around £1.2 billion to deliver. Its design features a steep, compact bowl creating a continuous 360 degree wall of supporters, with acoustics engineered to heighten noise and atmosphere.
The twelve chimney formed towers take inspiration from the brickworks that once occupied the site. Beyond their visual impact, they will provide essential structural support for the roof while housing lifts, staircases and ventilation systems.
One of the chimneys is set to contain a lift leading to what would be the highest bar in the city, offering panoramic views and an immersive experience celebrating Birmingham’s industrial heritage.
At ground level, the Championship club aims to create a seven day destination rather than a venue used only for matchdays. Plans include food markets, cafés, children’s play areas and new public spaces intended to open up an area of East Birmingham that has long been closed off.
Tom Wagner, Knighthead co chief executive and Birmingham City chairman, said the club aims to have the stadium open for the 2030–31 season, with public engagement on the project beginning in 2026.
“This is a huge milestone for Birmingham City Football Club, creating a home that reflects our ambition to compete at the highest level. More than that, the iconic design is a statement of intent for the city and the West Midlands, testament to a region on the rise.
“The stadium draws upon the proud heritage of the West Midlands — a heritage of industry, ingenuity and growth.”
Thomas Heatherwick, founder and design director of Heatherwick Studio, said:
“Too often stadiums feel like spaceships that could have landed anywhere, sterilising the surrounding area.
“Ours grows from Birmingham itself — from its brickworks, its history of a thousand trades, and the craft at the core of its culture. Our goal is to capture the spirit of the city and play it back to Birmingham.”
