Everton Stadium Designer Honors Work with 1878 Tattoo
Dan Meis, a Los Angeles architect, said the Everton project tested every limit of stadium design. He pointed to relegation battles, ownership change, a global pandemic, and wartime ordnance uncovered on site.
Design vision and fan engagement
Meis studied Everton’s history and its supporters closely. He wanted a building rooted in the city’s dockland character.
The Bramley-Moore Dock site inspired the form. Early sketches paired a brick base with a sweeping, wave-like canopy.
Bill Kenwright asked for a design that felt both historical and forward looking. Fans were consulted throughout the process.
Capacity was a major discussion. The Hill Dickinson Stadium seats more than 52,000 supporters. That is over 12,000 extra seats compared with Goodison Park, but about 9,000 fewer than Anfield.
Construction timeline and major challenges
Work on the site began in August 2021 and finished in 2025. The schedule did not unfold without pressure.
On-field struggles saw Everton narrowly avoid relegation in consecutive seasons. The club finished four points clear in 2021–22. The next campaign ended just two points above danger.
Off the field, the club ended ties with Russian sponsors in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine. The Friedkin Group assumed ownership in November 2024.
Builders also faced unusual ground conditions. Teams discovered unexploded World War Two ordnance in the dock floor. They also encountered a dolphin structure, forcing temporary shutdowns.
Design and engineering team
Nick Tyrer led design work for architecture and engineering firm BDP Pattern. He said stadia are landmark projects shaped by politics and global events.
Meis brought extensive arena experience to the job. He previously worked on the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Opening day and personal moments
Meis attended the first home match at the new ground. Everton beat Brighton 2-0, with goals from Iliman Ndiaye and James Garner.
He described emotional scenes among supporters. Many expressed deep gratitude for the move and the stadium’s atmosphere.
The Everton stadium designer honored his work with a 1878 tattoo. The mark commemorates the club’s founding year.
One steward’s remark reinforced the project’s community focus. She told colleagues that the design team had genuinely listened to supporters.
- Site: Bramley-Moore Dock
- Capacity: more than 52,000
- Construction: August 2021–2025
- Ownership: Friedkin Group takeover, November 2024
- First home match: Everton 2–0 Brighton (goals by Ndiaye and Garner)
Filmogaz.com covered the architect’s reflections and the stadium’s journey from concept to completed landmark. The project represents a long-held hope realized for tens of thousands of fans.
