Tell us about your journey. What drew you to a career in architecture and design, specifically in collegiate sports facilities?

Born and raised in Kansas City, I grew up surrounded by sports. I attended the University of Kansas and during my time there was introduced to sports architecture and the niche sports market in Kansas City. After graduation, I went on to work for HNTB for 13 years and 7 years at DLR Group. I joined ArchTam in 2024 as Director of Collegiate Sports, dedicated to driving innovation and excellence in the design and renovation of stadiums, arenas and training facilities across the nation. I’ve led projects in the collegiate space with ArchTam at universities such as the University of Central Florida, Tulane University and East Texas A&M.

You’ve spent over 20 years focusing on public assembly venues and athletic training facilities. What’s kept you passionate about this space?

I’ve worked on basketball arenas, football stadiums and training facilities across the nation that are all unique in their own way. Though the programs can be similar, it comes down to how you handle them, how you site the building and how people end up using the building. I grew up loving sports, so being able to turn on college basketball and see the legendary arenas that I’ve worked on is a rewarding feeling that keeps me going.

As Director of Collegiate Sports, how do you define “next-generation” sports environments?

We’re witnessing a more revenue-focused generation than we’ve seen in the past. For us, it’s all about creating environments that everybody wants to be in as opposed to staying at home and watching games on TV. The other factor that we’re seeing is more integration with technology. Venues are now utilizing apps to order concessions and interact with the space. The integration of technology and improving the fan experience will only continue to evolve.

Your leadership style emphasizes mentorship and collaboration. How do you cultivate that culture within your teams?

Honesty, openness and willingness to communicate with the team — particularly the reasons why we do something, not just what we’re doing. I’m always trying to cultivate people to think critically, be engaged and ask the question “why.”

You’ve worked with some of the most iconic collegiate programs. Are there any standout projects or moments that have stayed with you?

My first project out of school was at the University of Michigan’s football stadium, “The Big House.” I’ve stayed in touch with the client for nearly 20 years and can tangibly see the success of the project watching Michigan home games. It really showed me that this industry is about much more than the project, it’s the relationship with people around the project you’ve built. Additionally, my work at Duke University’s Cameron Indoor Stadium remains a career highlight, as being part of such an iconic and historic arena left a lasting impression on me.

What major trends are shaping the future of collegiate sports facilities right now?

It’s crucial to embrace the local environment where the facility is being built. We’re beginning to witness the importance of real engagement of the region or city where the university is and showcasing pride in it. This can occur through things like having local vendors or theming aspects of the facility around something specific to that city. Sports anchored lifestyle and entertainment districts are being developed all over the country and they are very exciting to think about the integration of sports and lifestyle.

You’re currently leading several collegiate pursuits involving stadiums, arenas and training centers. What excites you the most about being a part of these world-class projects? 

When it comes to a competitive venue, you’re engaging in the way that the fans, alumni, donors and staff experience sporting events. It’s special to be able to say that you played a part in influencing new traditions or the way that people experience a game. We see opportunities on the horizon with some of the largest and most respected universities in the country that directly align with ArchTam as a firm.

What advice would you give to young architects or designers who want to enter the sports facility space?

There are so many more variables to consider when entering the sports architecture field as opposed to designing commercial spaces. You have to be able to collaborate with a large team and articulate the things that you’re interested in early on in your career. Be curious about why design is done in certain ways.  In my opinion, sports design is the peak of what we do because it impacts so many people.

The post Changing the Game: Meet Andrew Kelly appeared first on Blog.

Stadiums and venues are more than just structures — they are cultural landmarks that bring communities together, inspire loyalty and create lasting memories. As we look to the future, the challenge lies in redefining these spaces to meet evolving expectations while embedding sustainability, technology and inclusivity into every aspect of their design and operation.

Key challenges in reimagining the fan experience

The fan experience is no longer a one-size-fits-all journey. Fans today demand personalization, seamless engagement and opportunities to co-create their experience. At the same time, venues must address broader societal goals, such as reducing embodied carbon, integrating sustainable technologies and fostering community connections.

Our approach focuses on crafting spaces that balance economic output with emotional resonance. Whether designing new stadiums or renovating existing ones, the goal is to create venues that reflect the identity of the city, its people and its culture, hence making them irreplaceable.

Elevating fan journeys through innovation

To reimagine and elevate the fan experience, we prioritize innovation across the entire lifecycle of venue design and operation, focusing on 3 key areas:

1. Personalization and inclusivity:

• Every fan should feel seen and valued. By mapping diverse fan journeys, we create opportunities for engagement and re-engagement, ensuring that each touchpoint resonates with the individual.
• From immersive screens to strategic hospitality moments, technology amplifies the experience without overshadowing the venue’s unique character.

2. Seamless integration of technology:

• Digital tools act as amplifiers, enhancing the physical experience rather than replacing it. Smart controls, immersive displays and interactive touchpoints are strategically integrated to elevate the fan journey.
• Future proofing venues means building for long-term adaptability while planning for rapid change at 5-, 10-, and 15-year intervals — reflecting how dramatically fan expectations have already shifted in the past five years.

3. Sustainability and circularity:

• By embedding sustainability into every stage  —from design to operations — we ensure venues remain resilient and impactful for generations to come.

Sustainability is also about future proofing. That means creating adaptable spaces and digital systems that evolve with the club and the fans. The most sustainable venues are active 365 days a year — hosting events, hospitality, community programming and content creation.

A sustainable stadium isn’t just energy efficient; it’s revenue efficient. And whether it’s a renovation or new build, the goal is a venue that stays relevant, flexible and connected.

Rethinking renovation for cohesion

Whether designing a new stadium or renovating an existing one, it’s important to create cohesion across the fan experience and tell a connected story. Every visit should offer opportunities for re-engagement, so fans feel like they are experiencing something new each time.

Every touchpoint along the fan journey should feel intentional, part of a seamless, holistic experience that increases dwell time, loyalty and ultimately drives revenue. The next generation of stadiums should not be defined by capacity, but by connectivity and by the ability to create moments that excite fans, elevate technology, and let them feel like co-creators in the experience.

Renovations can also be smart, sustainable moves, offering lower embodied carbon and potentially higher return on investment (ROI), but in all cases, the goal remains the same: to connect the economic output with the emotional output, building loyalty that sustains both fans and the project.

Connectivity builds community The future of stadium design lies in creating spaces that are both functional and unforgettable. By thoughtfully integrating design, technology and sustainability, venues can evolve alongside changing expectations, offering fans moments that resonate, inspire loyalty and invite repeated engagement. The most successful stadiums will be those that balance economic performance with emotional impact, creating spaces that reflect the culture of their communities while remaining adaptable for decades to come.

Connect with Andrea to learn more about our global Sports team.

The post Transforming stadiums and arenas into next-generation experiences appeared first on Blog.

You’ve worked on major sports venues globally. What lessons from these projects do you bring to new developments?

Each new venue raises the bar in terms of design ambition, technology integration and user expectations. Allianz Arena was groundbreaking in the use of ETFE in its façade, which not only gives it its iconic visual identity but makes it highly durable. AAMI Park, with its lighter yet complex roof, pushed the boundaries on structural analysis and optimisation.

These experiences have shaped our approach to projects like Macquarie Point Stadium, where we’ve combined lessons from innovations on past projects with cutting-edge tools to understand occupant comfort and pitch performance and test different stadium forms until we find the best based on structure, performance, cost and aesthetic. The focus is always on elevating the fan experience, embedding flexibility for future uses, and ensuring the venue can adapt to evolving event formats and technologies.

How do you ensure stadium designs cater to both spectators and athletes?

Over a typical 3–4-year design and construction process, technology and user expectations evolve significantly. The design needs to anticipate how future technologies may impact the built form and how spectators experience the venue.

At Macquarie Point Stadium, we placed significant emphasis on comfort modelling to ensure all public areas are welcoming all year-round. This caters to interstate travellers who expect a similar fan experience to what they are offered in their home city. Our design prioritised intuitive circulation, quick egress, universal access and proximity to food and beverage, all within a distinctive architectural setting. For athletes, we designed high-performance environments: generous change facilities with dedicated physio/strapping area, aqua recovery, optimal playing surfaces, airflow and temperature control, and secure, efficient arrival and departure routes.

Increasingly, venues are designed to foster closer interaction between fans and athletes, with premium experiences, such as field club lounges, and pitch-side access. Event overlay flexibility is also critical to support a wide range of uses beyond sport.

How do you maximise value while balancing functionality, sustainability and long-term operational costs?

Technology has transformed how we design. We can test and iterate far more options than ever before, allowing us to optimise for performance, cost and sustainability.

A multidisciplinary, integrated design approach is best, bringing together architecture, engineering and specialist disciplines under strong design leadership. This is the right approach for coordination across technical disciplines and delivers the best project outcomes.

At Macquarie Point Stadium, sustainability was embedded into the design from the start. We assessed embodied carbon across design options, giving the client clear visibility into the environmental and financial impacts of every decision. Passive design strategies and efficient spatial planning also help reduce the venue’s long-term operational costs. A venue’s unique architectural identity and adaptability can drive long-term value by attracting more events. A durable, future-proof design reduces maintenance costs.

How do you design sports and entertainment venues to serve their communities well beyond the initial investment? 

Flexibility is key. Venues must be able to evolve to suit different event types, audience sizes and community needs. Equal access is a non-negotiable. Everyone, regardless of mobility and ability, deserves an unforgettable fan experience.

We also activate the venue’s perimeter to create a vibrant precinct, even on non-event days, integrating retail, hospitality and community spaces for year-round entertainment, quality of life benefits and economic value for vendors and the city. Holistic precinct planning ensures the venue is embedded in its urban context, with strong connections to public and active transport routes, and other commonly frequented, surrounding public spaces. Function spaces are designed for versatility, supporting everything from grassroots sport to major events.

At Macquarie Point Stadium and its surrounding precinct, features like The Goods Shed (historically used for railway operations and redeveloped into a hub for a range of entertainment events), the signature roof design, and proximity to the CBD help create a unique identity, sense of place and connection to other spaces.

What excites you most about future sports and entertainment infrastructure in Australia? 

Australia’s approach to sports infrastructure is unique. Unlike international markets, where venues are driven by franchise success, many Australian venues are publicly funded and deeply connected to their communities. The MCG is a great example: iconic not just for one team, but as a shared cultural landmark. This shapes how we design, focusing on inclusivity, affordability and broad appeal. Australia’s strong sporting culture that permeates across all cities, regions and towns means there’s ongoing demand for high-quality venues that meet modern fan expectations, even outside of major cities.

Events like the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games will catalyse a new wave of investment, not just in Brisbane, but across the country. This presents a tremendous opportunity to renew our national infrastructure and attract global entertainment acts. It’s an exciting time to design venues that are accessible, functional and culturally significant.

Describe the feeling you get when you sit in a stadium you’ve designed, as a fan.

When I am in a venue I designed, I initially can’t stop myself from ‘inspecting’ some of the key details that took time and thinking to resolve. But after some time, I settle and enjoy the event and experience of the space. The memories of the design and the construction process often remain vivid.

It’s rewarding to see something that I spent years imagining come to life. Observing how large crowds share experiences and enjoy the space in the way it was anticipated brings me joy and pride.

The post Changing the game: Meet Jochen Ristig appeared first on Blog.

A Chartered Engineer with 25 years’ experience, Jon is based in our London office and leads our Sports + Entertainment sector for UK&I, Europe, Middle East and Africa and is connected to our wider Global Sports practice bringing extensive knowledge on the latest trends in venue design.

Jon has carried out the role of Project Director on many of ArchTam’s most complex and iconic building schemes in the UK and internationally. He also leads a specialist team experienced in long span roof, advanced geometry and complex structural modelling, façade engineering and Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) design.

What drives your approach to delivering high-performance sports venues, and how has your role shaped that?

Sports and stadium projects are highly complex, weaving together a myriad of technical challenges, fast-paced environments and multiple stakeholders often with very different drivers and interests. Leading these projects requires a strong combination of people management, technical insight and commitment. 

Over 15 years, I’ve grown from structural engineer to leading multi-discipline teams and acting as design delivery director for many major projects. I currently lead ArchTam’s Sports and Entertainment Sector across Europe and the Middle East, working predominantly on the design of major venues. I’ve been lucky enough to work on notable projects in the UK and Ireland, including the new Power Court Stadium for Luton Town Football Club, Windsor Park and the Curragh Racecourse. I’ve also delivered venues for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016, FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, and multiple developments across Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, Asia and Australia.

For clients, stadiums are often once-in-a-generation investments. Success depends on early-stage clarity in team setup, project briefing and business case alignment. My goal is for our team to become a trusted partner to our clients — a focused group of experienced designers, advisors, and decision-makers who bring in the right specialists at the right time to deliver maximum value from project inception through to construction and operation.

I’ve had the privilege of working with —and learning from — some of the industry’s most talented designers and consultants, both at ArchTam and through our world-class collaborators and partners. Leading high-performing teams and mentoring emerging leaders has been a particularly rewarding part of my journey.

From a delivery perspective, what does it take to create a stadium that reflects its local community while meeting global standards for fan experience?

Every sports client has its own unique history, geographical connection, and relationship with its fans and their communities. At the same time, clubs and venue operators are increasingly looking to host ever more ambitious and inclusive event programmes that appeal to diverse audiences and users. As designers, we help our clients navigate complex commercial pressures and deliver assets that are both commercially viable and aligned with their long-term goals.  

Venues must engage the next generation of tech-savvy supporters while preserving traditional matchday experiences. Our experience working on major events and multi-purpose community venues helps ensure our designs deliver the best of both digital and physical fan experiences while being flexible enough to adapt to changing needs over time.

We are currently designing Luton Town FC’s Power Court Stadium in collaboration with SISA and Klaska. It is a strong example of how a stadium can become an integrated piece of civic architecture and urban design, respecting the site’s rich history while navigating complex constraints. We collaborated closely with the Club and project team to deliver a fast-track planning submission, supporting their significant investment in stakeholder and community engagement to secure a smooth path through the approvals process. While the stadium itself will enable the latest in technology — AV, lighting, broadcast, frictionless service and low energy design — the Club’s vision is rooted in the spectacle of the game and live fan experience, creating a new town-centre destination with the stadium at its heart.  

Similarly, the phased redevelopment of Windsor Park Stadium, delivered by us with Holmes Miller Architects, created a highly successful national stadium and home for football in Northern Ireland. While nationally important, the stadium remains grounded at a community level, providing a home for Linfield FC as well as leisure facilities for local clubs and residents. 

How do you help clients shape stadiums that deliver long-term value — commercially, sustainably, and through their ability to adapt over time?

I led our UK-based engineering team on Al Janoub (Al Wakrah) Stadium with Zaha Hadid Architects; the first new-build stadium for the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the centrepiece of a new public sports precinct south of Doha.

Al Janoub Stadium was a true path-finder project: a fully cooled 40,000-seat open-air stadium that could host World Cup matches during the tournament and later be reduced to a 20,000-seat capacity. When we began the project in 2013, the decision to move the tournament to winter had not yet been made, so our focus was on ensuring it could be delivered in the summer. In doing so, we helped establish program-wide standards and procedures for technical design, computational analysis, constructability, BIM, safety, and sustainability — setting benchmarks that shaped many of the stadiums that followed.  

Creating a comfortable environment for players and spectators, housed within a bold, iconic architectural form, demanded a truly integrated approach across all design disciplines. We recognised the need to establish ambitious sustainability targets, including LEED, GSAS and a bespoke kgCO2 per-seat target, which played an important role in guiding the team toward lean design principles and smart material choices. 

To remain viable year-round, stadiums must be adaptable and multifunctional to go beyond matchday use. For Al Janoub Stadium, we developed a comprehensive legacy transformation plan that balances adaptable permanent infrastructure with temporary, demountable elements and modular overlay, designed to be relocated and reused elsewhere. This approach supports a long-term vision for sustainable social infrastructure for Al Wakrah Sports Club. The stadium’s removable upper tier makes space for future education, community, commercial, and healthcare facilities, seamlessly connecting with the wider precinct. The venue itself remains highly flexible, capable of hosting a broad range of sports and other on-pitch events. 

What’s key to delivering complex venues quickly without compromising performance or flexibility?

The demand for delivering faster is a constant, responding to stakeholder expectations, the need to satisfy a rapid return on major investments, and the complex geopolitical factors that influence so many global construction projects. 

For example, Japoma Stadium, a 50,000-seat venue for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, was conceived as a site masterplan in 2017 and delivered just over two years later. We used advanced technology to prototype design options and communicate through high-quality visualisations and immersive experiences, enabling fast, well-informed decision-making. Ultimately, it was our expertise in constructability and innovation — delivering a simple, functional, and adaptable stadium using modular, repeatable components —alongside a close partnership with the main contractor, Yenigun, that made this achievement possible.

Establishing clear routes to stakeholder engagement, understanding the local regulatory framework, and proactively managing project risks and opportunities allowed us to remain agile during the design stage and derisk the procurement and construction. It is this experience that I aim to bring to every project, grounded in lasting partnerships between architects, engineers, operator and clients, which are essential to delivering a successful venue.

The post Changing the Game: Delivering world-class stadiums with purpose appeared first on Blog.

Andrea Patry is a design leader focused on improving the fan experience and integrating sponsorship in sports and entertainment venues. She works at the intersection of sport, culture, and design to develop practical, community-centered solutions. Through a fan-first approach, she designs dynamic, future-ready spaces that spark connection, engagement, and lasting impact.

Tell us a bit about yourself – your role and career journey.

I’ve always been passionate about design and sports. Early in my career, I worked on branding projects with Nike, where I learned the power of collaborative design and storytelling. I also played professional hockey, which gave me a deep appreciation for both athletes and fans in these spaces.

I’ve worked with Dan Meis, ArchTam’s global director of sports design for nearly a decade. A key part of my role is championing emotion-driven design and pushing creative boundaries that celebrate fan experience. I am committed to integrating new ideas and technologies that reflect the world around us in new ways — like AI tools — to enhance our creative process, from materials and mood boards to shaping interiors and exteriors.

My role sits at the intersection of sport, culture, and design, ensuring that every detail enhances fan experience and drives revenue. I aim to push creative boundaries, helping teams explore new ideas and deliver impactful, forward-thinking designs.

Sports venues should be more than just buildings; they should serve as cultural hubs. My goal is to reimagine the future of sports venues as catalysts for communities.

Talk to us about a project that has impacted or been a major highlight of your career. How is it solving the challenges and issues our clients and communities are facing today?

It would be hard to answer this without mentioning Everton Stadium, the new home of Everton Football Club in the UK. I had the opportunity to collaborate with the team and explore new ideas throughout the entire process. A highlight for me was an early trip to Liverpool to explore materials and design inspirations. Now, seeing those initial ideas come to life at Bramley-Moore Dock is truly rewarding. I’m proud of what we contributed—it’s a beautiful stadium, but more importantly, it was designed with the community in mind, not just as a home for the historic club, but as a versatile, year-round venue for concerts, sports, conferences, and local events that benefit the wider city.

Stadiums don’t naturally unite communities. You have to craft an experience that speaks to everyone. The scale needs to be broken down into a series of meaningful moments that become core memories for fans. This approach creates a seamless connection between the stadium and the surrounding community, setting the stage for positive change.

Everton Stadium was designed to feel like it grew out of the dock—a true football ground with fans right on top of the pitch. We knew the stadium had to feel deeply rooted in fans’ hearts despite its new location, so we built trust by making the design process a true dialogue through sharing sketches, inviting feedback, and actively involving supporters every step of the way. It’s about more than just a venue; it’s about placemaking, inclusivity, and creating diverse experiences that make a lasting impact.

Can you share some of the creative brand activations you’ve been involved in and their impact on the overall fan experience?

We designed a graphic system for Live Nation U.S. Concerts that would help uniquely position the identity of each venue and to celebrate the place. We combined these graphic details with innovative design elements that enhance guest engagement — including guest-facing amenities, premium seating, back of house upgrades, and hospitality experiences — to transform the overall strategic design of the venues to deliver seamless experiences.

Across my work, I look for ways to communicate a story throughout the venue and sometimes the small elements like graphics create space for the bigger design elements to thrive. A graphic language unifies opportunities for subtle brand integration into the artist’s experience and helps to position space for a story that the artist and venue can create in partnership. Setting the tone for the street-to-stage experience is key.

Fans today expect deeper connections with their favorite artists, teams, and athletes, wanting an active role in shaping event experiences. During the early design process, I focus on crafting standout moments along the fan journey—moments that not only enhance engagement but also create layered, immersive experiences.

We look for ways to incorporate sponsorship as part of the overall experience — not an afterthought, or something applied. We help our clients create a plan and position them for the future so that the story of the space can continue without interruption. I think this is the most impactful way to help our clients is in the upfront planning — to create a design guide to help them collaborate with stakeholders on executing their vision and making the design process appear seamless. This approach maximizes Return on Investment (ROI) by uncovering new opportunities within the live event experience.

I like to celebrate the small ideas — those early creative sparks that may seem minor but often shape the final design. Some become defining elements, like hidden “Easter eggs” discovered with the client and fans, while others evolve or fade. But the process itself fuels innovation. Ultimately, the goal is to create shareable, memorable experiences that bring the project’s story to life.

How do you balance the global appeal of sports with the need to create spaces that reflect the identity of the local community?

I think the answer is in the question — sport is about authenticity and is elevated when the local community can engage with the design. The design process needs to embrace the community, the fans, the people — creating a place where we imagine the future and celebrate a holistic design approach.

Stadiums and arenas function like mini cities, drawing massive crowds and requiring thoughtful placemaking. The goal is inclusivity — offering diverse experiences that cater to a broad audience. In recent years, there have been significant advancements in accessibility, from ADA/mobility accommodations to sensory-friendly spaces and family-oriented facilities. Sustainability has also become integral, with innovations in energy efficiency and responsible construction practices shaping the future of these venues.

A well-designed stadium isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about optimizing the fan journey. From minimizing queuing and travel times to creating a seamless flow of experiences, every element should enhance engagement while respecting the identity of the local community. The best designs make a lasting impact by balancing global appeal with a strong local connection.

The post Rethinking the design of venues: Meet Andrea Patry appeared first on Blog.

Martin Robinson has over 30 years of experience in sports architecture.  His work on high-profile sports projects worldwide has included the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Chelsea Football Club. Martin focuses on stadium and arena design, balancing achieving commercial goals for owners with creating exceptional experiences for fans while contributing to urban regeneration and renewal.

Tell us a bit about yourself – your role and career journey.

I started my career as an architect in London. During my training, I had the opportunity to work on various commercial and hospitality projects, but my passion for football led me to a career in sports architecture.

For 25 years, I focused on growing and developing one of the UK’s leading sports practices, working with Premier League teams such as Bolton Wanderers Football Club. My role as Managing Director gave me the unique opportunity to be involved in the oversight of a wide range of projects for multiple clients.

More recently, I’ve been working alongside Dan Meis on the new Everton Football Club Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock in Liverpool, due to open for the 2025-26 English Premier League season. I am helping to grow ArchTam’s sports offering across the UK, Europe, and Middle East. This role allows me to combine my experience with my lifelong passion for creating world-class sports venues that inspire entire communities.

Talk to us about one of your favorite stadium design projects.

One of my favorite projects was leading the design competition for the London Aquatics Centre, designed and built for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It was an incredible experience to write the design brief and manage the competition process, which brought together six world-class architectural teams: FaulknerBrowns, Make, Bennetts Associates, Studio Zoppini, Zaha Hadid, Behnisch & Partner, Dominique Perrault, and Massimiliano Fuksas.

I worked closely with each team throughout the process, ensuring their ideas aligned with the City’s and Local Organizing Committee’s (LOC) vision for the Games. The competition was chaired by world-renowned architect, the late Richard Rogers, and won by Zaha Hadid’s studio. Her work not only became a centerpiece for the Olympic and Paralympic Games but provided a lasting and valuable legacy for the people of Stratford and the surrounding boroughs.

Being part of such a transformative project, with its global significance and enduring impact, remains a career highlight for me. It showcased the power of collaboration and the ability of architecture to elevate international events that continue today.

How do your stadium designs balance the commercial goals of a club with the fan experience?

Balancing a club’s commercial goals with the fan experience is at the core of great stadium design. Whether it’s football, baseball and basketball in the U.S. or soccer in the UK, fans are at the heart of any sport or club. So, it’s absolutely crucial that we prioritize their experience when designing a stadium or arena. At the same time, clubs are commercial entities — they need to generate revenue to fund what happens on the pitch, so their financial goals must be integrated into the design. I always aim to create spaces and places that not only enhance the matchday experience for fans but that also provide new and different opportunities for clubs to generate revenue. New projects are much more than just a stadium. They are effectively mixed-use schemes including multiple elements such as fan zones, hotels, retail and commercial.

More recently, I’ve seen the hugely influential role social media platforms such as X and Instagram have on our ability as architects to actively engage fans directly in our designs. During the design process for the new Everton Stadium, Dan joined the club’s Fan Advisory Board meetings and regularly responded to posts from fans that directly helped to shape the finished design. This real-time connection really helps us bridge the gap that can sometimes exist between a club’s ownership and the fan base throughout a design project.

How do you see stadiums and arenas contributing to long-term urban renewal?

Stadiums and arenas play a crucial role in long-term urban renewal as they are direct catalysts for economic growth, infrastructure development and community transformation. When planned strategically, they can revitalize underdeveloped or decaying areas, turning them into thriving urban neighborhoods. These sports projects often bring other wider community improvements with them, such as better transportation networks, new retailers and pop-up businesses, equally benefiting both the match-day crowds and local residents.

A prime example of this is the area around Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium in London, which has seen dramatic changes over the past 15 years. Beyond sports, modern stadiums function as community hubs, hosting events year-round — from weddings and business meetings to cultural activities. These new spaces have brought together people from diverse backgrounds and across the economic spectrum, becoming an absolute social hub for the community. We’re likely to see something similar happen in Liverpool when the new Everton Stadium opens, coinciding with the investment going into the City’s historic waterfront.

New stadia and arenas are not only sports venues but are businesses. With many now operating 365 days a year, they contribute to local economies, create jobs and provide essential infrastructure improvements. By supporting a wide range of community activities, they enhance the quality of life for residents and become integral parts of the urban landscape, providing lasting benefits for both the community and the city.

The post Changing the Game: Meet Martin Robinson appeared first on Blog.

Dan Meis is Director of Global Sports Design. Recognized as one of the world’s leading innovators in sports and entertainment architecture, Dan brings almost 40 years of experience designing some of the most prominent stadiums, ballparks and arenas across the globe for some of the worlds’ most recognizable sports teams.

Tell us a bit about yourself – your role and career journey.

My career in architecture has uniquely focused on sports venues, though it didn’t start that way. I began in Chicago at Helmut Jahn’s office designing big, complex buildings. Later, I learned of Kansas City’s unusual concentration of firms designing stadiums and arenas — starting when a firm there created a renowned sports complex. This inspired me to move to Kansas City, where I joined Ellerbe Becket, a leader in arena design at the time.

Since then, I’ve run my own sports architecture practice and worked internationally on projects in China, Japan, Italy and the UK, deepening my expertise in the sector over decades. Recently, I joined ArchTam bringing my team with me to build a global sports design practice and bring my career full circle.

Talk to us about a project that has impacted or been a major highlight of your career. How is it solving the challenges and issues our clients and communities are facing today?

One of the most impactful projects of my career has been the design of the new stadium for Everton Football Club, a Premier League soccer team with a deeply rooted history in Liverpool. Their previous stadium at Goodison Park had been their home for over 135 years, and their fans have a multi-generational attachment to it. Being chosen as an American architect was unexpected, but we knew we had to design a stadium that the fans could feel deeply connected to, despite it being located in a different part of the city. We gained the trust of the fans, actively involving them throughout the design process, using social media to share our sketches and invite feedback in a collaborate and engaging way. This interaction transformed me into a true fan of the Club.

The challenges faced by Everton Football Club were significant, their old stadium limited their ability to compete financially with larger clubs in the Premier League. Their new Everton Stadium will be a critical revenue source, essential for the Club’s future success. Located in a former UNESCO World Heritage Site at Bramley-Moore Dock in Liverpool, the design needed to honor the city’s heritage and integrate seamlessly into the local context, going beyond just a football stadium to become a new landmark for the area.

The project combines urban regeneration with sustainability and economic impact, creating a lasting legacy for Liverpool and Everton fans. It’s a building that not only serves the team and fans but also revitalizes and benefits the whole community.

How do you manage the balance between fan experience and sustainability when it comes to sports stadia architecture?

Balancing fan experience and sustainability in sports stadiums is a challenge, but it’s one the industry is beginning to address more seriously. ArchTam’s recent work at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California is a great example of how sustainable practices can be integrated into sports architecture. It is designed to be the first carbon-neutral venue from opening day.

Sports buildings, especially outdoor stadiums can be tough to make sustainable given the resources they require and their often limited usage. But the industry is evolving. Owners and architects alike are now much more focused on sustainability, from using recycled materials to managing waste effectively. One idea we’re currently exploring is developing stadium seating made from recycled ocean plastics and many owners are now considering more sustainable choices like recyclable cups and even renewable energy generation.

Sustainable measures don’t detract from fan experience; they enhance it by aligning with fans’ values and the clubs’ cultural identities. With forward-thinking clients, sustainable and regenerative design can enrich sports architecture without compromising the thrill of the game.

What are some of the emerging trends or design concepts that will redefine the way we experience sports venues in the future?

A few key trends come to mind, starting with video technology, which has become ubiquitous in sports venues. Intuit Dome’s large halo scoreboard, for example, marks a first for arena design and showcases how screens are now central to the experience. This aligns with the shift in how people consume sports and entertainment today, where fans often have their devices in hand, watching live events while keeping up with other games or sharing moments on social media. New innovations such as touchless concessions, facial recognition and grab-and-go options also enable quick, hassle-free experiences, while opening new revenue streams through enhanced sponsor engagement.

There’s also a growing desire from many owners to expand their existing stadia rather than build new ones. One of my current projects in the US includes the addition of an entertainment center to an existing stadium. This additional layer not only provides additional capacity but also additional revenue generation opportunities in a cost-effective and clever way while allowing us to keep the stadium semi-operational or reduce closure time during construction.

Another emerging trend that’s less about the facilities is that these buildings are no longer standalone structures like they once were. They’ve shifted to become integral parts of the urban landscape, forming entertainment districts that contribute to urban regeneration. Unlike the isolated stadiums of past decades, these spaces are designed to stay active year-round, drawing visitors for more than just game days. This not only maximizes sustainability but also turns sports venues into vibrant community hubs that generate ongoing economic impact. Together, these trends mark a new era of highly interactive, sustainable, and community-focused stadiums that I’m proud ArchTam is at the forefront of.

Banner image credit: Mark Thomas

The post Changing the Game: Meet Dan Meis appeared first on Blog.