Designing a new home for Everton was never going to be straightforward, but few could have predicted just how challenging the journey would become.
For the man behind the Hill Dickinson Stadium, the project has left a lasting mark in more ways than one.
Dan Meis opens up about Hill Dickinson Stadium project in new interview
Lead architect Dan Meis has described the creation of Everton’s new stadium as one of the most emotional and demanding experiences of his career in a recent interview with the BBC.
From a global pandemic and ownership changes to relegation battles and even the discovery of unexploded World War Two ordnance on site, the project faced a series of extraordinary challenges.
Meis, who previously worked on major venues like the former Staples Center in Los Angeles, admitted nothing compared to the scale and passion surrounding Everton.
He immersed himself in the club’s culture, engaging directly with supporters to ensure the design stayed true to the identity built over 133 years at Goodison Park.
A key ambition was to create a stadium that felt connected to its surroundings at Bramley-Moore Dock, blending history with a modern vision, which is something Meis said shaped the entire concept from the earliest sketches.
The emotional connection to the project ultimately led him to mark the experience, with a tattoo of the number ‘1878' – Everton’s founding year – permanently etched as a personal tribute.
Reflecting on the opening, Meis admitted the moment left a deep impact, recalling fans in tears and the overwhelming sense that the stadium represented “tens of thousands of people’s hopes”.
FGG says: Hill Dickinson Stadium has been defined by connection
This feels like one of those rare stadium builds that goes far beyond bricks and steel.
The challenges alone make it remarkable, but what stands out most is the emotional investment, and not just from fans, but from those delivering the project.
For Meis to carry a permanent reminder of the experience, considering the sheer number of stadium projects he's worked on, says everything about how unique this build was.
In an era where many stadiums can feel corporate or interchangeable, this is a reminder that the best ones still come from understanding the people they are built for.