Dan Meis, FAIA, RIBA[1] (born 1961) is an American architect best known for designing sports and entertainment facilities including Staples Center, Safeco Field, Paycor Stadium, Stadio Della Roma,[2] and Everton FC's new Everton Stadium. He began his career in Chicago under the mentorship of well-known architect Helmut Jahn, and later included time at sports architecture firms, including co-founding the sports and entertainment practice of NBBJ. Meis currently operates his own independent studio established in 2007, MEIS Architects,[3] with offices in New York City and Los Angeles, California.

Dan Meis
Born1961 (age 62–63)
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater
OccupationArchitect
AwardsAmerican Institute of Architects fellowship
PracticeMEIS Architects
Projects

Meis has developed a reputation for out-of-the-box, innovative thinking through creating projects that redefine their respective building types.[4] His design for AS Roma's Stadio Della Roma is among the world's most state-of-the-art football stadium designs and includes one of international football's most tightly organized seating bowls.[5] The ultra-modern, steel and glass stadium is wrapped in a floating stone “scrim”, which is intended to evoke Rome's most iconic landmark, the Colosseum.[6] Everton FC's new stadium, which will replace the historic Goodison Park, home to the team since 1892, will be located at Bramley-Moore Dock,[7] a UNESCO world heritage site on the banks of the River Mersey. Currently under construction, the new MEIS designed MLS stadium for FC Cincinnati, located in Cincinnati's West End neighborhood, will have an estimated seating capacity of 26,000 to 26,500, making it one of the largest soccer-specific stadiums in North America.[8]

His firm has recently formed a partnership with Maria Sharapova, to build tennis, fitness, and wellness centers.[9] MEIS is also working with entertainment giant, Live Nation, to design venue upgrades across a portfolio of outdoor amphitheaters.[10]

While at Ellerbe Becket in the 1990s, Meis designed Europe's largest indoor arena, the Nynex Arena (now Manchester Arena) in Manchester, England, and led the design competition that won the $750 million Saitama Super Arena in Japan.[11] Meis then left Ellerbe Becket to join established Seattle practice NBBJ, establishing NBBJ's sports division with Michael Hallmark and Ron Turner.[12] Meis designed the Staples Center in Los Angeles, the Dodge Theater (now Comerica Theatre) in Phoenix, Miller Park in Milwaukee, Safeco Field in Seattle, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, and Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, which was the first NFL facility to win an AIA design award.[13] Meis' design for Los Angeles' Staples Center has been heralded as the "greatest arena ever built",[14] and in 2001 he appeared in Time magazine as one of their "100 Innovators in the World of Sports".[15] Meis' work has twice been awarded the prestigious Business Week/Architectural Record Award and he is the only architect twice recognized as one of Sports Business Journal's "40 under 40 Most Influential Sports Executives".[16]

Meis' work has been featured in numerous publications including Architectural Record, Metropolis, Architectural Digest,[17] Sports Illustrated,[18] Business Insider, Bloomberg,[19] Wired magazine,[20] Los Angeles Times,[21] I.D., L.A. Architect, Stadium & Arena Management and SPACE magazine, and he is a frequent lecturer at architectural schools across the world. In 2007, Meis was elevated to the College of the Fellows of the American Institute of Architects.[22] Meis' ability to re-imagine typical ideas of what a building can be was highlighted in a November 2015 Sports Illustrated and Wired Super Bowl 100 Series[23] feature on “The Future of Stadium Design”.[24]

Education edit

Meis studied environmental design and engineering at the University of Colorado in Boulder, and later received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Illinois at Chicago.[25]

Beginning in 2011, Meis served as an Adjunct Professor for Stadium Design at the University of Southern California.[26]

Sample sports projects designed by Meis edit

Sample commercial projects designed by Meis edit

  • LA Clippers Corporate Headquarters
  • Kun Ming Towers
  • China Air Headquarters
  • Peterson Automotive Museum
  • DTS World Headquarters
  • Herald Square
  • One Chase Manhattan
  • Doha Towers
  • Santa Clara HERO Site
  • Shenbei Live! Entertainment District
  • Doha Al Jassim Hotel
  • Pelican Lakes
  • Pizzeria Mozza
  • The Garage

References edit

  1. ^ "AIArchitect, February 24, 2006 - AIA Elevates 82 to Fellow; 13 to Honorary Fellow". info.aia.org. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  2. ^ "Home | Stadio della Roma". stadiodellaroma.com. Archived from the original on 2019-11-01. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  3. ^ "Sports, Entertainment and Experience Architecture". MEIS Architects. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  4. ^ "Populous hires award-winning architect Meis to lead Los Angeles-area office". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  5. ^ "Stadio della Roma". www.asroma.com. Archived from the original on 2019-02-22. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  6. ^ "Stadium of Rome by Meis Architect". aasarchitecture. 2015-06-21. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  7. ^ "Everton lease land at Bramley Moore Dock for proposed stadium". Sky Sports. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  8. ^ "FC Cincinnati Unveils Designs For New Soccer-Specific Stadium". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. October 10, 2018. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  9. ^ Giacobbe, Alyssa (2018-11-27). "Maria Sharapova Built a Business Empire Thanks to Her Winning Team". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  10. ^ "Summer Refreshments: Live Nation Starts Rolling Out Renovations at Amphitheaters". VenuesNow. 2019-06-03. Retrieved 2019-07-22.
  11. ^ "Saitama Super Arena". www.spaziomondo.com. Retrieved 2016-01-28.
  12. ^ "Dan Meis to Head Woods Bagot Sport". Architect Magazine. Retrieved 2016-01-28.
  13. ^ "AIArchitect, Sept. 3, 2001 - AIACC Recognizes Design Excellence". info.aia.org. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  14. ^ Los Angeles Magazine. Emmis Communications. 2000-10-01.
  15. ^ "Leading Sports and Entertainment Architect Dan Meis to Head Woods Bagot Sport". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  16. ^ "Past Forty Under 40 Winners". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  17. ^ "Rome Is Getting a Soccer Stadium That Rivals the Colosseum". Architectural Digest. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 2019-07-15.
  18. ^ "Ballpark Quirks: Safeco Field has its very own umbrella for rainy Seattle". SI.com. Retrieved 2019-07-15.
  19. ^ "Russell Crowe Would Love Rome's New Stadium: Hoelterhoff". 2019-07-14. Retrieved 2019-07-15.
  20. ^ Beckham, Jeff (2015-11-18). "The Future of Stadiums Might Be No Stadium at All". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2019-07-15.
  21. ^ Plaschke, Bill (21 August 2017). "Compact, cozy StubHub Center could be just the ticket for a unique fan experience and a Chargers rebirth". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2019-07-15.
  22. ^ "AIArchitect, February 24, 2006 - AIA Elevates 82 to Fellow; 13 to Honorary Fellow". info.aia.org. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  23. ^ "Future of stadiums might be no stadium at all". SI.com. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  24. ^ "Death of the Stadium | SXSW 2016 Event Schedule". SXSW Schedule 2016. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  25. ^ "Dan Meis | UIC News Center". news.uic.edu. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  26. ^ Dan Meis - Dynamic Architecture: designing buildings that move, 2011-09-26, retrieved 2016-01-15

External links edit