Leyton Orient hire firm behind world’s biggest stadium for new home
Leyton Orient have appointed Populous, the architects behind Wembley and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, to design their new home in East London.
The third-tier club announced plans earlier this year to relocate from Brisbane Road to a new ground, which will be the centre of a multi-use development also featuring shops, restaurants and leisure facilities.
Orient hope to complete the project and move in by their 150th birthday in 2031. No site has yet been identified but Waltham Forest Council has pledged to help the club find one.
“Appointing Populous is a major milestone and a clear statement of our ambition,” said Orient majority owner David Gandler.
“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.”
As well as housing Orient’s men’s and women’s teams, the new stadium will host a London American football team playing in the European Football Alliance.
The project is designed to support Gandler’s ambition of taking Orient back into the Championship and in with a shot of promotion to the Premier League.
Populous and Wembley, Tottenham, Fulham
Global stadium specialist Populous has worked on more than 3,500 projects in the last 40 years, including at Wembley, Tottenham and Fulham’s new Riverside Stand.
It is currently engaged in building the world’s largest football stadium, the 115,000-capacity Stade Hassan II in Morocco, which has been earmarked for the 2030 World Cup final.
“We are honoured to partner with Leyton Orient at such a defining moment in their journey,” said Populous global director Declan Sharkey.
“Our vision is to design a unique stadium and mixed-use development that celebrates the club’s heritage while embracing the future, blending world-class sporting architecture and digital innovation with a vibrant, community-driven neighbourhood.
“Together, we will create a new landmark for East London and beyond.”