Arsenal Stadium Architectural Model

This architectural object is inspired by Arsenal Stadium, one of the most architecturally distinguished football grounds ever built.

Designed in the interwar period and completed in 1936, Arsenal Stadium — commonly known as Highbury — is celebrated for its refined Art Deco architecture, which transformed a football stadium into a civic landmark. These qualities make it especially compelling when interpreted as a physical architectural object.

Read the full Arsenal Stadium architecture guide

 

A football ground designed as civic architecture

 

Unlike most stadiums of its era, Arsenal Stadium was conceived as more than a functional sports venue. Its monumental East and West Stand façades were designed to present football as part of the city’s cultural life, drawing on the language of Art Deco cinemas, transport buildings, and public institutions.

This architectural model focuses on the elements that define the stadium’s identity:

• strong horizontal Art Deco geometry

• symmetrical, civic-scaled façades

• restrained decorative detailing

Reduced to object form, these characteristics reveal the clarity and ambition of the original design.

 

Why Arsenal Stadium works as an architectural model

 

Arsenal Stadium translates particularly well into an architectural object because its design is driven by:

• geometry rather than surface complexity

• proportion and symmetry rather than ornament

• a clear distinction between façade and structure

At reduced scale, the stadium reads as a composed architectural whole rather than a collection of stands — allowing its design to be appreciated independently of matchday spectacle.

Rather than functioning as a miniature replica, this object captures the architectural essence of Highbury.

 

Craft, materials, and finish

 

Each Arsenal Stadium object is crafted with an emphasis on precision and restraint. The finish is intentionally understated, allowing light and shadow to articulate the building’s stepped forms and horizontal lines in the same way they do on the original concrete façades.

The result is an object that sits naturally within:

• architectural and design studios

• modern interiors

• shelves and workspaces

It appeals equally to architects, design-led collectors, and those with a deep connection to Arsenal and football history.

 

An object shaped by sporting and architectural legacy

 

Arsenal Stadium occupies a unique position in architectural history — a rare example of Art Deco civic architecture applied to sport. Its later transformation into Highbury Square ensured that its most significant architectural elements were preserved, extending the building’s life beyond its original function.

As an object, the stadium becomes a study in how architecture can elevate everyday culture into something enduring and symbolic.

 

Product details

 

• Subject: Arsenal Stadium (Highbury), London

• Original architect: Archibald Leitch (1913 stadium)

• Architects (1930s rebuilding): Claude Waterlow Ferrier and William Binnie

• West Stand opened: December 1932

• East Stand opened: October 1936

• Architectural style: Art Deco

• Designed and made by: Chisel & Mouse

 

Learn more about Arsenal Stadium

 

For a detailed exploration of the stadium’s architecture, Art Deco design, cultural significance, and transformation into Highbury Square, see our in-depth guide:

Arsenal Stadium (Highbury) Architecture: Art Deco Football Ground in London