Everton Football Club's new 52,888-seat stadium has officially opened at Bramley-Moore Dock along the River Mersey, marking a significant milestone in Liverpool's urban regeneration efforts. The project, originally budgeted at £505 million, was designed by New York-based MEIS architects and delivered by BDP Pattern, the sports division of BDP. The stadium aims to revitalize Liverpool's northern docks while creating extensive new public spaces for the community.
The architectural design draws heavy inspiration from the area's historic brick warehouses, creating a striking blend of heritage and modernity. The stadium features a distinctive brick base that pays homage to Scottish architect Archibald Leitch's latticework at the club's former Goodison Park home, celebrating Everton's rich history. In contrast, the futuristic steel-and-glass upper level provides a contemporary flourish that looks toward the future. The building's height was carefully restricted to comply with Liverpool City Council's World Heritage Site guidance established in 2020.
A standout feature of the new venue is the impressive south stand, specifically designed as a "blue wall" to accommodate more than 14,000 home fans on match days. The design places supporters as close to the action as safety regulations allow, creating an intimate and electric atmosphere. The stadium also boasts exceptional accessibility features, including 279 wheelchair spaces, sensory rooms, faith spaces, and gender-neutral toilets, making it one of the most accessible stadiums in the United Kingdom.
The transformation of the Grade II-listed Bramley-Moore Dock presented significant engineering challenges that required innovative solutions. Much of the construction site was originally submerged underwater, creating complex logistical problems. Everton's chosen contractor, Laing O'Rourke, led an intricate construction process that involved adding 480,000 cubic meters of sand to the dock to create stable ground for the massive structure. The project demonstrated impressive environmental consciousness, with 95 percent of site materials being reused and extensive rooftop photovoltaic panels installed to reduce the stadium's environmental impact.
Sustainability remained a key focus throughout the construction process, with energy-efficient building systems integrated throughout the facility. The development also employed cutting-edge offsite manufacturing techniques and digital design technologies to ensure precision construction and minimize waste. These innovative approaches helped maintain construction quality while reducing the project's overall environmental footprint.
The project carefully preserved key heritage features that tell the story of Liverpool's industrial past. The 19th-century Grade II-listed Hydraulic Tower and Engine House were meticulously restored using salvaged bricks, while original cobblestones, railway lines, and mooring posts were preserved and integrated into the modern design. This thoughtful approach creates a seamless connection between the area's maritime heritage and its promising future.
The design process involved significant collaboration between multiple architectural firms over several years. MEIS architects served as the design architect from 2016, taking the project from initial feasibility studies through design development. Dan Meis of the practice remained as design guardian for Everton Football Club from 2020, ensuring continuity in the creative vision. BDP Pattern joined the project at stage 3 to assist with the detailed planning application, which was submitted to the council in December 2019.
However, the project was not without its controversies and setbacks. In July 2020, Dan Meis expressed his disappointment to the Architectural Journal after being dropped from the stadium's delivery phase. Meis learned in June of that year that his firm, which had created the initial designs and been involved since 2016, would not be appointed for any future role on the project. This decision came after Laing O'Rourke appointed London-based Pattern Design as the technical architect for the arena.
The architectural team underwent several changes throughout the development process. MEIS architects was initially appointed to the Everton stadium project in 2016, with Sheppard Robson brought on board a year later before being effectively replaced by Pattern Design at the end of 2018. MEIS had partnered with Manchester-based stadium specialist AFL Architects to strengthen their local knowledge and specialist expertise, hoping to remain integral to the project through completion.
In 2020, Everton FC implemented a series of design modifications to address concerns raised during the planning application process. The main changes focused on the West Stand, which faces the River Mersey, including the addition of a new stepped plaza that enhances public access and creates better integration with the surrounding waterfront area.
The project received political approval in 2021 when former communities secretary Robert Jenrick approved Pattern Design's proposed stadium, despite calls to intervene in the planning process. Liverpool City Council had already unanimously approved the scheme, overriding warnings that it could potentially harm the city's World Heritage Site status and objections from Historic England and The Victorian Society.
Everton revealed in early 2018 that the stadium's cost had escalated significantly beyond the original £505 million budget. The club had previously struggled with multiple attempts to build a new home venue. In 2003, Everton was forced to abandon plans for a new stadium at Kings Dock, Liverpool, designed by HOK, because the club couldn't secure an additional £30 million in funding. Later plans for a 50,000-seat stadium in Kirkby, located six miles northeast of Liverpool, were rejected by the government in 2009.
Following these setbacks, the club considered two potential locations: Stonebridge Cross and Bramley-Moore Dock. The chosen Bramley-Moore dock had been closed since 1988 following the decline of south Lancashire's coal industry and had subsequently been used as a venue for the Sound City music festival.
The completed stadium represents a significant economic investment in Liverpool's future. The new venue is projected to contribute £1 billion to the local community over time and create approximately 15,000 jobs across various sectors. The facility also features the largest LED screens in the Premier League, with each screen measuring an impressive 9 by 32 meters.
Community engagement played a crucial role throughout the design process, with public consultations attended by more than 60,000 people. These extensive consultations helped shape the final design and ensured that the stadium would serve not just as a football venue but as a true community asset.
Stadium specialist Pattern Design was acquired by BDP in 2021, becoming the firm's dedicated sports division under the banner BDP Pattern. Meanwhile, Dan Meis moved on to join AECOM as leader of its global sports design group in 2024, continuing his career in stadium architecture.
Jon-Scott Kohli, director of BDP Pattern, reflected on the project's significance: "The design for Hill Dickinson stadium has made Bramley-Moore Dock a very special place and somewhere that Evertonians are very proud to call home. It's a proper football ground, to begin with, and every detail has been considered to make somewhere that is authentically about the game and its fans. It's also very civic, with modern and grand public spaces that enrich the surrounding neighborhood, sparking real urban renewal of a previously deprived area."
Colin Chong, former chief executive of Everton Football Club, praised the collaborative approach: "BDP Pattern's design team approached the project with deep respect for its context and working alongside the design, development and construction partners ensured we were able to integrate the site's industrial heritage into a modern football venue. Their understanding of football culture, architectural legacy, and urban regeneration allowed them to help our contractor build a stadium that feels authentic to Everton's identity while delivering a world-class matchday and commercial experience."
The project officially broke ground in July 2021 and reached completion in August 2025, representing one of the most significant architectural and urban regeneration projects in recent Liverpool history. With a gross internal floor area of 65,000 square meters, the stadium stands as both a sporting venue and an architectural landmark that bridges Liverpool's industrial heritage with its modern aspirations for the future.
