I'm passionate about sport because...

As we take the time to acknowledge our own global expertise in sports architecture, we wanted to use the Season of Sport as an opportunity to celebrate some of the weekend athletes, die-hard fans, and armchair sporting experts of BDP. After all, sport is played for and by people around the world – so why not see sports through a personal, human lens?

For our internal initiative, ‘I’m passionate about sport because…’, we asked the people of our practice to tell us about the sport they love – be it trail running, basketball, taekwondo, football or bouldering – and the national flag(s) they felt represented them. Here is a selection of our favourite stories from the campaign!

…it doesn’t matter if you are tall or short, young or old as long as you ‘bring your game! Basketball is a sport I started playing at 12 years old, and still play competitively today aged 56. It is the most diverse and inclusive of sports, and in my experience welcomes all participants equally. Basketball is strategic, athletic, and rewarding; whether you win or lose, score or assist, you can contribute!

…it allows me to travel. I practice trail running – it’s a challenging sport that relies on a lot of physical endurance and mental strength, but the only person you’re competing with is yourself. Plus, it allows me to get out of town to run and see new landscapes.

…it relies on team spirit. I’ve been playing volleyball since I was a kid, and what I love about it is that everyone on the team depends on each other to make a point. Also, smashing the ball through the opponent’s block is great stress relief – one of the joys of being an outside spiker!

…I love supporting homegrown talent. I’ve always been an avid Formula 1 fan, and have cheered on British drivers through many races on TV, starting with Damien Hill in the early 90s, through to Jenson Button in the 2000s, and to the present day with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. I’m excited to say that after all this time, I’ll be attending my first Grand Prix in 2023 at Silverstone!

…win or lose, it’s about spending time with family and friends. My passion for football came from my family, who have followed our local team for over 100 years. I’ve been a season ticket holder for 30 years and have started going with my Dad and nephew. I also like that my club does a lot for the local community.

…when you’re on the court, everyone speaks the same language. I’ve been playing volleyball for almost 25 years, and have competed at different levels: amateur, professional, and even on the national team. It’s an excellent way of meeting new people, being part of a team, and having fun. Whatever country you play in, the spirit, atmosphere, and energy on the court are the same.

…it helped my physical and mental development growing up. I started practising taekwondo when I was a junior in high school. I still remember the first time I ever saw the sport in the 1995 South East Asian Games – I took it up right afterwards, and it took me 4 years to reach my black belt, even participating in local, national, and inter-collegiate events when I went to college. Taekwondo is all about courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit – principles which I continue to live by.

…it’s a physical AND mental workout. I started climbing/bouldering during lockdown to get out of the house. You don’t need lots of kit to get started, and it’s not just about being the strongest or the fittest, so it’s more inclusive than other sports. Part of the challenge is also climbing short, tricky routes, so there’s a lot of problem-solving plus, it’s a social sport, as you work together to figure it out!