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.

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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.

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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

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In the Intuit Dome blog series, we’ve taken a deep dive into each element of Intuit Dome with the leaders who made this project a reality. Today, we learn more about the empowering design architects who brought this project to life and their experience as women in architecture.

Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in architecture, and how did your background influence your design approach on Intuit Dome?

My diverse background includes experiences in sports, corporate, hospitality and furniture. This has equipped me with a unique perspective and an ability to problem-solve creatively. I enjoy looking at situations from different angles, whether it’s the big picture or the smallest details.

I pursued architecture because I enjoy challenges, allowing me to explore new ideas using technology and art.

My passion began with a deep curiosity about how things work and a fascination with the world around us. This curiosity led me to pursue an engineering degree, where I found the intersection of physics and building design especially captivating. I was drawn to building physics — the study of how the laws of physics apply to the built environment — which ultimately shaped my career path. In 2013, I was fortunate to transition to the High-Performance Buildings and Communities team within our Buildings + Places business line. There, I worked on notable projects such as the Golden 1 Center, applying the lessons learned to future endeavors like Intuit Dome.

Q: Can you describe your specific role with Intuit Dome? What were your main responsibilities?

As the Lead Interior Designer, I was responsible for creating premium, team and public spaces that aligned with the owner’s vision. I collaborated with the team to develop unique designs that catered to the needs of patrons, the team and Clippers staff, overseeing the project from conception to completion.

The Intuit Dome project has many components such as the arena, garages, ancillary buildings and the outdoor plaza. I led the design team for the arena and my primary responsibilities were coordinating the architectural team and the discipline designers, i.e., structural engineers, mechanical engineers and others to deliver contract documents to the construction team.

In my role on the Intuit Dome project, I led the performance-based design modeling, collaborating with high-performance building design specialists across our regions, including the U.S., the UK and Australia. My primary responsibility was to support the project in achieving its ambitious sustainability targets, such as net zero carbon, 100 percent electric energy use and LEED Platinum certification. Additionally, I worked to balance these sustainability goals with other key project requirements, such as enhancing aesthetics, optimizing the fan experience, ensuring thermal comfort and managing costs.

Q: How do you think projects like Intuit Dome contribute to the visibility and recognition of women in architecture?

The prominent presence of women in leadership roles on the Intuit Dome project, including architects, designers, specifiers, construction managers, owners’ representatives and clients, has significantly advanced the field of architecture. Our visibility off-site waiting for a rideshare or our coffee order, often marked by the distinctive PPE gear, has sparked conversations about gender diversity and inspired a desire for more women in these roles.

The Intuit Dome project contributed extensively to the visibility of women in business and architecture. Women were visible at all levels from Gillian Zucker, President of Business Operations for the LA Clippers to young intern architects at our office.

Projects like Intuit Dome are excellent platforms to highlight the invaluable contributions women make to iconic projects, reinforcing their visibility and recognition in architecture. Role models play a critical role in this process, as studies have shown that nearly 60 percent of women believe having a relatable role model is essential to achieving career success. Seeing women in leadership positions on such high-profile projects boosts confidence and support for others, demonstrating that women not only belong in these spaces but are instrumental to their success.

Q: How has the acceptance of women in your field changed throughout the years? How do you think it will look in the future?

Over the years, I’ve witnessed a gradual increase in the acceptance of women in architecture. This trend is encouraging, and I believe it will continue as younger generations recognize the profession as a viable career path. I hope that we’ll eventually achieve gender equality in the field.

I have observed a growing acceptance of women in the workplace, largely due to a stronger focus on diversity and inclusion. However, there is still work to be done to ensure that all women can fully realize their potential and thrive in their careers, and I hope this will occur in the future. Raising awareness and discussing biases and their impact on women’s careers is key, as is fostering a culture of respect and belonging that celebrates diversity. Accountability, particularly at the managerial level, is crucial to advancing diversity and inclusion with leaders supporting work-life balance through flexible working arrangements to help women succeed.

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In the Intuit Dome blog series, we are taking a deep dive into each element of Intuit Dome with the leaders who made this project a reality. Throughout these pieces, we discuss features like community engagement, sustainability and visionary design/innovation to learn more about what makes Intuit Dome a game-changer in sports and entertainment.

LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer originally thought that having an existing building (Staples Center at the time) would be beneficial when he bought the team. Within the first six months, he realized that the situation was unworkable as the third tenant in the building, so he sought out ArchTam as lead designer when he was envisioning the creation of his team’s new home. After initial site selection and concept design, Ballmer then brought ArchTam Hunt on board to review real-time construction cost estimates. A separate procurement led to the hire of an ArchTam Hunt and Turner Construction joint venture as construction manager at-risk. From there, a unique partnership formed that proved to be as iconic as the venue itself.

The magnitude of this project drove the design and delivery team because of Steve Ballmer’s leadership and commitment. On many projects, the design team and contractors are put in opposing camps to identify responsibility for risk or challenges. With Intuit Dome, everyone set aside historic practices to put the success of the project first. The typical process of change orders and requests for information was not discussed in contractual terms but instead focused on solutions. Combining design and construction management expertise to complete this project elevates it to another level.

ArchTam has served concurrently in both roles in the past, most recently at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, but typically these roles have been contracted separately with the assumption that we would act in traditional designer/contractor roles. However, this is the first time that we have engaged in a full collaboration along with the team at CAA ICON.  Across all team members, regardless of company, everyone’s focus was on delivering the highest standard for our client. 

Intuit Dome supersedes all others in the sports and entertainment realm regarding technological advancements. With the arena’s design and ambitious technology goals, the team coordinated with technology partners early in preconstruction. The most visible symbol of this commitment is the Halo scoreboard, which is almost an acre of 4k LED screens, 4-5 times the size of a typical NBA scoreboard. This is also the first time a venue is equipped with fan focused technology like frictionless point-of-sale — from concessions, to merchandise, to their very own seat. With the technology ingrained into the building, the focus is truly on creating an atmosphere that prioritizes the fan experience.

Additionally, on the construction side, the team utilized Microsoft HoloLens technology allowing crews to use real-time BIM information in augmented reality to verify work in place and resolve conflicts. We believe that we’re just scratching the surface of the future usage of technology on large-scale projects like Intuit Dome.

Throughout the design and construction process, a few challenges arose for our team to conquer. This project was unique in that we had to deliver the design and construction documents during COVID-19 while working across offices in LA, Chicago, Kansas City, London and Melbourne. The joint venture had to deal with the cost impact of the pandemic as well as limited commodities and reliance on overseas work. As a result, our team was very clear to the client about the cost impact and to outline the increases and risks.

Moreover, one main schedule issue on the project involved the fabrication and delivery of our diagrid steel. The stadium’s 2,791-ton diagrid structural steel frame (or gridshell) is a design inspired by a basketball net. It consists primarily of pipe radial, diagonal members and complex nodes. The arena enclosure, parking garage, plaza and garden were all impacted by the diagrad’s delivery schedule. Despite all schedule challenges, our team worked cohesively to meet our client’s needs by creating different sequences to pull certain components of the work forward.

Beyond the arena, the project’s connection to the surrounding neighborhood was critical, both socially and sustainably. The LA Clippers worked with the City of Inglewood on a far-reaching benefits package — funding for schools, housing, infrastructure and jobs have all been part of the commitment to develop an arena with positive community impact. Inglewood Mayor James Butts wanted this project to increase employment opportunities in his city, especially the training of young adults. Before the construction of Intuit Dome and SoFi Stadium just to the north, the unemployment rate in Inglewood was around 17 percent. Now, as job creation in the area has increased, the unemployment rate has declined to around 4 percent.

All in all, the ArchTam partnership proved to be more efficient and cost-effective, allowed for greater design quality and produced a better outcome. Working together and successfully creating a world-renowned venue speaks volumes to our ability as a company to be able to deliver a show-stopping project like Intuit Dome.

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In the Intuit Dome blog series, we are taking a deep dive into each element of Intuit Dome with the leaders who made this project a reality. Throughout these pieces, we discuss features like community engagement, sustainability and visionary design/innovation to learn more about what makes Intuit Dome a game-changer in sports and entertainment.

Intuit Dome, the new permanent home of the Los Angeles Clippers, has been designed with a level of innovation and excellence that supersedes all others in the industry. With meticulous attention to detail from the gridshell exterior of the building to the myriad features inside that prioritize the fans and the community, Intuit Dome will provide a unique, multidimensional experience. The centerpiece of this mixed-use development is the 18,000-seat arena which is combined with 100,000 square feet of administrative office space, 9,500 square feet of retail space, an 86,000-square-foot training facility, and community amenities including an open public plaza with a large media screen, concert stage and basketball court. A key motivator behind Intuit Dome’s design features and envisioned user experience is a strong commitment to carbon neutrality and sustainability.

As a design architect, I believe a building should be tuned to its environment. Whether the project is a tower in the Middle East or a rail station in China, our design teams strive to create buildings that fit into and work appropriately within the context of their surroundings. A large part of this concept is ensuring that the building is efficient in terms of how it uses resources. In Los Angeles, we need to conserve water, but we have the benefit of abundant daylight and mild temperatures.  Additionally, we tried to connect the visitor experience to the California environment to create a unique presence for Intuit Dome.

When we looked at the Intuit Dome program, it proved to be larger than the usual arena facility, so it needed an expanded “envelope.” As conceived by our design team, Intuit Dome’s architecture works with the favorable Southern California climate by allowing as much fresh air and daylight inside the building as possible. An innovative gridshell enclosure creates an envelope that defines the volume of the building. It encompasses the arena and team-related facilities as well as the informal spaces, which include indoor/outdoor terraces, linking the primary levels of the interior of the building to its natural surroundings.

Appropriate to the California climate, the outside skin of the building, or gridshell, is built of ultra-lightweight material and seismically isolated from the building’s structure. The gridshell carries a system of flexible, durable membrane panels that modulate wind, sun and rain. The three panel types, ETFE, PTFE and laminated PTFE, protect most of the informal spaces from rain while also allowing for fresh air flow and solar glare control. These membrane materials are translucent and do not reflect light like glass. As a result, the material is a better surface for bird safety, which is important as Intuit Dome is located within a major avian migration path. The venue will use 100 percent outdoor air within the arena bowl, reducing energy consumption, enhancing thermal comfort and providing significant health benefits. The shell design also improves the outward perception of the venue. Since the primary interior spaces are separately enclosed and acoustically insulated, the informal exterior spaces are opened giving visibility to internal movement that allows the venue to have a lively active expression.

The interior of the building is as innovative as the exterior. Intuit Dome’s 18,000-seat arena is designed to both bring fans closer to the action and give them the most legroom in the NBA, whether they’re sitting in premium locations courtside or in the upper bowl. The loudest contingent of Clippers fans will be located immediately behind the opposing team’s basket, in a steep section we call “The Wall” where there will be special features catering to these fans. Our upper bowl seats are accessed from above rather than below to make that experience less intimidating. The innovative design of the unique halo-shaped LED scoreboard will bring statistics and replay footage for the audience at an unmatched scale. The form of the board allows it to be easily visible from all seats, but it is lifted to the rafters so that it does not compete with the action on the court. The curved surface of the board totals almost an acre of media.

For the players, office staff and Clippers organization, we have designed their part of the facility to feel like home. Access points have been coordinated to provide privacy and convenience. The team locker room is used for both practices and on game day for easy movement to the practice courts, training room and therapy equipment. The practice courts and dining areas have views of a lush, terraced landscape that includes a lap pool.

Going beyond the building, it is important to us that Intuit Dome belongs to its neighborhood. To do this, we designed a large public plaza that leads to the front entrance. This vibrant community space features a large media screen and basketball court framed by retail, restaurants and a grand staircase shaded by a canopy. Visitors can access these amenities, even if they don’t have tickets to an event. The plaza can allow anyone to enjoy a game on the public screen and partake in the energy and excitement that concerts and NBA games will bring.

From redefining the multidimensional fan experience and environmental standards to empowering economic revitalization and community connections, Intuit Dome is truly more than an arena providing the blueprint for a sustainable legacy.

The post The visionary design and innovation behind Intuit Dome’s multidimensional experience appeared first on Blog.

In the Intuit Dome blog series, we are taking a deep dive into each element of Intuit Dome with the leaders who made this project a reality. Throughout these pieces, we discuss features like community engagement, sustainability and visionary design/innovation to learn more about what makes Intuit Dome a game-changer in sports and entertainment.

A game-changer in sustainable arena design and community impact, Intuit Dome topples all categories in innovative sports architecture. Design features like a unique gridshell enclosure, a 38,375-square-foot halo-shaped LED board, five full-size courts, a commitment to carbon neutrality and much more make Intuit Dome an iconic sports and entertainment venue.

Although an extraordinary level of innovation and attention to detail has informed the design of the internal aspects of the Intuit Dome program, its connection to the surrounding neighborhood was also critical, both socially and sustainably. The LA Clippers worked with the City of Inglewood on a far-reaching benefits package— funding for schools, housing, infrastructure and jobs have all been part of the commitment to develop an arena with positive community impact. Intuit Dome naming rights partner Intuit is committed to making the arena a hub for programs that power economic prosperity and benefit the community.

As a native Angeleno born and raised in Inglewood, I understand the need for empowerment and investment for the long-term development of this community. ArchTam was given the opportunity to not only develop and design Intuit Dome, but the responsibility of ensuring that this project brought about positive social impact and economic inclusion. As Intuit Dome’s VP for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), my job was to lead the charge for community engagement to effect that ambitious goal.

The positive impact is already in motion. Local Inglewood businesses are getting their first opportunity to take part in a massive global project in their own backyard. Workforce development programs have given second chances to union workers with good pay and benefits. With these commitments also comes looking toward the future of infrastructure in Inglewood. Our team firmly believes in “leaving it better than how we found it.” We are interested in not just building the future of physical infrastructure but human infrastructure as well. For this project, that entails a dedication to the youth and prioritization of sustainable legacies.

You can design and build one of the most notable arenas in the world and create a vast impact and ensure there is a legacy to leave behind at the very same time.

For Intuit Dome, we have focused on four key pillars as they relate to community engagement and ArchTam’s commitment to the client and arena. The first is business inclusion, honing in on requirements, goals, and efforts so that minority and local businesses participate in the project’s success through subcontracting. The next pillar is workforce development, which involves setting goals to ensure that ArchTam prioritizes local community members in relation to the building trades. The third pillar is community and stakeholder engagement. For this pillar, I manage the relationships outside of the project, ranging from the mayor to city council to community organizations, nearby residents, and local businesses. Creating a foundation with these elements helps ArchTam to lean into the community and support local organizations and local community members and set up a good neighbor program.

The last pillar is youth education. We are deeply committed to including the local youth in the region— who are a large part of the overall success of the project. The team has programming ranging from student tours to youth career fairs. As part of the youth education pillar, ArchTam has built a strong partnership with the ACE (Architecture, Construction, Engineering) Mentor Program, which provides exposure to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) understanding, engagement and opportunities for students at a local high school, City Honors High School, as part of Inglewood Unified School District. The impact that ArchTam has on the community is one of the most impressive parts of the arena and this program showcases that. ArchTam also brought the first-ever pre-apprenticeship program to Inglewood Unified School District, ensuring that with the legacy left behind, there will be a more sufficient pipeline from high school to post-high school into the building trades.

The overall vital commitment to the community is also tangibly illustrated through Inglewood’s drop in unemployment rates. Prior to the construction of Intuit Dome and SoFi Stadium just to the north, the unemployment rate in Inglewood was around 17 percent. Now, as job creation in the area has increased, the unemployment rate has declined to around 4 percent.

We have the talent in our own backyards. Our investment in them is how we ensure that we tap into those resources and talents and bring them into the company to help move communities forward, in Los Angeles and beyond.

Learn more about Intuit Dome and how we are delivering a better world in Los Angeles and beyond. Get inside Intuit Dome.

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Jon Niemuth is our Director of Sports for the Americas. Inspired by his passion for large-scale projects, Jon went on to achieve a dual degree in architecture and urban design and urban policy planning from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, before starting his transformational career.

How do you believe sports infrastructure creates opportunities for social inclusion?

As the industry around sports infrastructure has developed, we have witnessed a huge new generation of vibrant careers that are open to everyone. This includes broadcast technicians, franchisors, performers, and so many more. It’s great to see the increase in scholarships creating accessible career opportunities for people from underprivileged communities to get into the industry.

Beyond jobs, fan social inclusion has historically been a key issue as sports infrastructure has tended to focus on VIP customers, with high ticket prices and transport limitations also keeping sports infrastructure inaccessible. But now technology has started to break down these barriers with the introduction of streaming services and affordable data plans that allow more individuals to follow a team and be part of a more socially inclusive fan community.

In the United States we are increasingly seeing the reintroduction of major venues into urban cores, drawing populations back into these neighborhoods from all across this more inclusive fan community. It isn’t just about mitigating negative impacts on the community, but about exploring opportunities to give back and leave an area better than when it was found.

How do you envision the future of sports infrastructure being a year-round inclusive community asset?

I believe we are coming to a key generational moment for the future of sports infrastructure. For so long, we were only thinking of the sports purpose, but the next generation is using creativity and innovation to reenvisage sports infrastructure as an all-year-round inclusive community asset. It’s a balance of understanding the fit-for-purpose elements, which will have limited uses, and looking wider at other areas which could be used for community activities.

We are witnessing individuals and key stakeholders understanding the conversation more and challenging owners and designers to do better. It is an exciting time, and I’m optimistic the future will lead to many more multi-purpose, community-focused sports projects.

Tell us about a project that has made a difference in your local community.

A meaningful example for me is the redevelopment of Kansas City’s sports arena. The arena was repositioned into the core of Kansas City, creating momentum and bringing energy back around downtown. This drew different people from all over the city back downtown to explore the new facilities. Over the past 25 years Kansas City has completely transformed because the arena served as a catalyst for a whole series of live, work, play investments. It is phenomenal to witness sports and entertainment investments heal a city, especially in my local community.

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Arthur Ashe Stadium operated for 30 years without a roof. When the stadium was first conceived, engineers and planners working for the United States Tennis Association (USTA) studied a century’s worth of weather data. Noting that the weeks around Labor Day tended to be some of the driest, they concluded that it wasn’t worth sacrificing 5,000 seats to accommodate a roof. So, they didn’t build one.

Then the rain came in 2008. And, it didn’t stop. Inclement weather plagued the next five consecutive U.S. Opens, causing pivotal matches — such as one between Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal — to be suspended and wreaking havoc on the center’s grounds. The USTA knew something needed to change. But, taking action proved to be more difficult than anyone imagined.

When we were brought on in 2013, the original design concept for the retractable roof transferred the load through the existing structure, requiring us to dismantle each of the 150 existing columns. In addition, the stadium was built on a former landfill with unstable soil, meaning it couldn’t tolerate the 6,500-ton additional weight. Serving as design-builder, we worked with the ROSETTI architecture team to come up with a solution that left Arthur Ashe’s interior untouched. We devised a way to suspend the roof on a framework of eight super columns, making it an entirely independent structure. Each column is driven 180 feet into earth to reach bedrock, eliminating the need to connect them horizontally underground. This ensured stability and allowed the stadium’s existing infrastructure to remain intact.

The roof itself is comprised of 1,700 individual pieces, covered with lightweight and durable Teflon-coated fiberglass membrane fabric (PTFE). The retractable section of the roof was designed with two identical moving panels, each weighing one million pounds, controlled by an eight-wheel rail system. The roof can open or close in approximately seven minutes, transforming Arthur Ashe into a fully climate-controlled indoor stadium.

As we were figuring out the logistics of the roof, our team was also facilitating a more open feeling throughout the center by moving Grandstand Stadium to the southwest corner of the campus and rebuilding several courts. The Billie Jean King National Tennis Center remained fully operational and occupied during construction, continuing to host the most important matches of the 2014 and 2015 U.S. Open. When the retractable roof debuted at the 2016 U.S. Open, it was put to the test almost immediately, preventing a significant rain delay during a match between Rafael Nadal and Andreas Seppi.

With this year’s U.S. Open currently underway, we have one last accomplishment to celebrate. This year, we completed construction of Louis Armstrong Stadium, the second-largest venue and second retractable roof stadium at the center. The site’s final project not only marks the end of our five-year journey with USTA, but the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Open.

For me personally, and our team, everything we do is built around this one moment. Seeing the client, players and fans enjoying the experience motivates us to continue upping the game.

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One of the most rewarding parts was knowing that after the games, the area would become a new neighborhood with housing, schools, offices, retail, and open space. We simultaneously created three masterplans—one for the games, one for the transition, and one for legacy. In our masterplans and concept designs for the venues, if a venue had long-term utility for the community or the country, it was remodeled and turned into a new permanent venue for future use. Our team developed an approach that used temporary structures that could be demounted and salvaged, and we researched how we could transform the component parts of the design for other uses like schools and community facilities. The mayor of Rio called this approach “nomadic architecture.”

Who worked on the project?

In Rio, we had a core team of about 25 people who took the games from initial concept all the way through. The team expanded and contracted during that time, based on needs. As the design expanded, we added in architects and landscape architects. When transportation or security became a priority, I knew I could call on these teams. So the team grew to 150 or 200 at some points—but that core team of 25 was always at the heart of it. This team was led by our senior project manager Nadja de Almeida.

ArchTam’s Rio 2016 masterplan for games mode

ArchTam’s Rio 2016 masterplan for legacy mode

What lessons were carried over to Rio from working on the 2012 London Olympics?

We first applied the approach of using the Olympic and Paralympic Games as a platform for a transformational legacy in our work for London 2012. This methodology helped ensure that the investment in future infrastructure and community development was put in place before the games were over. This focus on the revitalization of East London, formerly an area of environmental degradation, heavy infrastructure, and limited economic opportunities, was key to London winning the games. Four years later, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is an anchor for new neighborhoods that will be complete with housing, jobs, schools, transportation and quality open space.

What do you see looking forward to your work on Tokyo 2020 and the Los Angeles bid for 2024?

Tokyo is much more developed as a city in terms of infrastructure and public transport. At the same time, Japan is facing similar challenges in terms of its budget. The International Olympic Committee’s Agenda 2020 emphasizes the use of existing venues and temporary venues—much as we did for Rio—to ensure that the games are fiscally responsible. We will also see that in the plan for LA, which has an unparalleled number of great venues already in place with a number soon to be built, including the new LA Rams Football Stadium. In addition, LA is already upgrading its transportation network, so the games will focus on using public transport as the primary form of spectator movement. Every successful games needs to reflect the culture of its host city, but as time goes on we will see greater emphasis on new construction of sports venues with a focus on long-term legacy use, not just on the three weeks on the games.

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