ARCHITECT APPOINTED FOR LONDON ELF STADIUM

Leyton Orient FC have appointed global design practice Populous to lead the planning and design of their new stadium and multi-sport campus, which will also play host to a British franchise playing in the European League of Football (ELF) from 2027.

The League One club previously announced a partnership with the London Borough of Waltham Forest Council to deliver the new venue, and the two parties are currently identifying a suitable site for the project, which will serve as the home for Leyton Orient’s men’s and women’s teams, as well as a British interest in the ELF.

Populous, based in Kansas City but with overseas hubs in London and Brisbane already has world-famous venues including Wembley and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in its portfolio and, while Leyton Orient’s new home may now carry quite the grandeur as the regular NFL hosts, majority shareholder David Gandler has made no secret of the scope of his plans.

“Appointing Populous is a major milestone and a clear statement of our ambition,” the American media mogul claimed. “We’re building a world-class, multi-sport campus that honours Leyton Orient’s heritage while creating a vibrant, affordable, technology-driven destination for our fans and our community. This will be a home that inspires not just for today, but for generations.”

Populous has staked its reputation on designing iconic spaces for the world’s most renowned names in sports and entertainment, from stadiums and arenas to event spaces and urban environments, leading to it being listed amongst the world’s 50 most innovative companies, and number one in architecture.

The new stadium will form part of a revitalised public hub, which will also include retail, hospitality and leisure facilities and an integrated infrastructure to support matchday and non-matchday activities. The additional revenue streams are all intended to feed Leyton Orient’s sporting ambitions, as Gandler looks to see them competing ‘sustainably’ in the English second tier.

Populous will now head into the feasibility and master planning phase, joining Leyton Orient in staging supporter and community consultation events before presenting initial designs.