Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron's Stamford Bridge stadium in London has been put on hold due to an "unfavourable investment climate," announced in a statement published by the Chelsea Football Club on May 31, 2018. 

In a cryptic statement published by the Chelsea Football Club in its website, the organisation said that "Chelsea Football Club announces today that it has put its new stadium project on hold."

"No further pre-construction design and planning work will occur. The club does not have a time frame set for reconsideration of its decision."

"The decision was made due to the current unfavourable investment climate," they added.

Last year, Herzog & de Meuron had recently received the planning permission for the £500 million renovation by the City Council and the project was awaiting for the mayor's approval, stated by Hammersmith & Fulham.

According to Financial Times newspaper, this decision was resulted from some political claims between Roman Abramovich and the country of UK. Reportedly, Roman Abramovich, the Russion owner of Chelsea FC, is holding a UK visa and he has met some difficulties in procuring a new UK visa, following his transition to Israeli citizenship. So, his immigration status has affected the works on the stadium. 

Mr. Abramovich didn't want to commit hundreds of millions of pounds to construction with his visa up in the air, according to the same source. 

"It was impossible to continue with the stadium project without assurances over its owner’s immigration status," another person, who close to Chelsea’s leadership, told the Financial Times.

Herzog & de Meuron released the updated images of the stadium in 2015, the firm's proposal is inspired by London's particular context and urban fabric. The £500M Chelsea FC London Stadium would be constructed in the place of existing football stadium at Stamford Bridge and feature from 41,837 to 60,000-seat capacity. 

The Gothic-inspired structure shows that a historical ribbed-shell structure displays nude, distinct and perfect volume in the context that interacts with public and supporters very well because of its irregular form. 

Herzog & de Meuron's new stadium rises on 264 slender brick piers that wraip up the whole structure. The stadium features Victorian-era brick terraces, which are reinterpreted with a pure expression referring to a solidity and textural materiality.  

Herzog & de Meuron, led by Jacque Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, has recently completed the transformation of a former Police Central Station into a new arts complex in Hong Hong. The studio also designed a naked concrete interior for Prada's Resort 2019 Show in New York. The studio is currently working on the new redevelopment scheme, the two "Horizontal Skyscrapers" will be raised on stilts for Moscow's historic brewery. 

All images © Herzog & de Meuron 

> via Chelsea FC