Built to Win: The Women Designing Sports’ Future

Think you need to be a professional footballer or a tennis coach to work in women’s sports? Think again!

When most people think of careers in sports, architecture and interior design probably aren’t the first things that come to mind. But at Populous, a global architectural and design firm known for creating some of the world’s most iconic sports and entertainment venues, a team of experts is reshaping the way we experience sports in both profound and practical ways. With an impressive portfolio that includes The Sphere, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Wembley, and The O2, women like Ari Lorenzana, Debbie Power, and Maria Knutsson-Hall are championing an inclusive design philosophy that all sports and entertainment venues should embrace.

Experiential Designer and Architect Ari Lorenzana

I first learnt about Populous and their fascinating work at the RAISE Women’s Sports Conference. The conference (read about it here in this Glorious article) was designed to highlight innovative projects and ideas from all corners of the sports industry, and Populous immediately stood out with their unique focus on fan engagement, equitable design, and creating spaces that cater to diverse audiences. Intrigued, post conference, I reached out to speak with three of their extraordinarily talented team members, who agreed to sit down with me and share their insights into their roles, the challenges they face, and the exciting future they envision for sports design.

I begin by speaking with Ari Lorenzana, an Experiential Designer and Architect who leads a team focussing on fan engagement. Her journey to Populous began in Spain, a country with sport deeply ingrained in its culture. “As a teenager, I experienced the Beckham boom!” she laughs, referring to the period when David Beckham’s move to Real Madrid shifted the landscape of sport and set the stage for the internationalisation of football. “It showed me how sport can become a global phenomenon, connecting brands, fans, and cultures in new ways.”

After completing her degree in architecture, Ari moved to London on a three-month trial. “I worked unpaid across disciplines, selling croissants to make ends meet, and eventually landed a job in events!” she recalls. Her work with high-profile clients like Charlotte Tilbury and Netflix eventually led her to Populous, where she found her niche in experiential design. “I love how Populous views gathering spaces as modern-day community hubs. It’s been five years now, and I’m leading a small team that immerses itself in fan communities, strategising to reflect their voices in our designs”.

Senior Principal and Architect at Populous Maria Knutsson-Hall

Debbie Power’s story is equally compelling. An interior designer by trade, she entered the world of sports design to avoid being pigeonholed into a single sector. “I wanted to work in a multidisciplinary field where I could touch on many sectors,” she explains. Her career spans hospitality spaces at national stadiums like Wimbledon, Twickenham, and Wembley, as well as training centres for Premier League clubs like Liverpool and Leicester City. “I’ve designed everything from boardrooms to hydrotherapy pools! It’s a fascinating mix that keeps me constantly engaged” she laughs.

Maria Knutsson-Hall, a Senior Principal and Architect at Populous, also brings a unique perspective. Growing up in Sweden, she played football, tennis and golf, but never imagined combining sport with architecture. “I’ve always been drawn to large-scale, complex projects that serve communities,” she says. “It wasn’t until I moved to the UK and worked on sports-related projects that I realised how much potential there was in this field”.

Maria was the design lead for Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a project that redefines what a stadium can be. “Historically, stadiums weren’t particularly welcoming spaces for women. They were often designed for a predominantly male demographic, with little thought given to inclusivity,” she explains. At Tottenham, the focus is on creating high-quality, flexible spaces that can adapt to different events. “The result is a venue that can host seventy thousand fans for a football match one day and a Beyoncé concert the next”.

One feature Maria is particularly proud of is the dynamic fan experience. “At Tottenham, you can have a different experience every time you visit. There are various bars, food options, and spaces to explore. It’s more engaging and caters to a broader audience, including women and families”.

The multi-award-winning Tottenham Hotspur Stadium set a new benchmark in global stadium design when it opened in 2019

Inclusivity is a central theme in all three women’s work, particularly when it comes to women’s sports. Ari is focused on reimagining the fan experience to better reflect the needs of female audiences. “We’ve discovered that women often attend matches in larger groups and have different needs, like different food and drink options or family-friendly seating. By designing for these audiences, we can create spaces that align with their everyday lives,” she says. One of her favourite concepts is a communal gathering space inspired by Wimbledon’s iconic hill, where fans can watch matches together. “Obviously you’re on this slope where you can all watch together, and that’s an iconic element of the event!”

"We’ve discovered that women often attend matches in larger groups and have different needs, like different food and drink options or family-friendly seating"

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Debbie is just as passionate about making training facilities more equitable. “Women’s health, lifestyle support, and privacy are key considerations,” she explains. “For example, menstrual cycles can impact training and also increase the risk of injury, so environments need to accommodate those fluctuations. We’re also looking at how to support women juggling family responsibilities, whether through childcare facilities or takeaway meal options.” Privacy is another crucial factor. “Women value privacy more in certain spaces, like changing rooms. This has led us to rethink traditional layouts to ensure they’re safe and comfortable, and prioritise privacy over the aspect of team collaboration.”

When discussing the future of women’s training facilities, she points to two recent Populous projects in Australia – the Home of the Matildas and Brisbane Lions Brighton Home Arena.

“These projects mark a significant milestone as the first purpose-built elite training facilities for women’s teams in the region — serving the Australia’s national soccer team, the Matildas, and the Brisbane Lions AFL [Australian Football League] side. Notably, both complexes have been designed with a broader community in mind, incorporating facilities for youth teams and the general public. It’s a model that not only ensures greater accessibility but also maximises the utility of these spaces, particularly in a sporting landscape where funding disparities between men’s and women’s programmes remain a challenge. At the same time, it provides world-class training environments for elite athletes, setting a precedent for future investment in women’s sports.”

The Home of the Matildas in Bundoora, Melbourne—a world-class stadium and the heart of Australia’s women’s national football team

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Training facility at the Home of the Matildas

Maria sees women’s sport as a key driver of change when it comes to architecture. “Women’s sports fans have different needs and expectations. Designing spaces that reflect those needs is crucial,” she says. She also notes the rapid evolution of women’s sports in recent years. “The progress we’ve seen since finishing Tottenham in 2019 is remarkable. Women’s sport has grown so much in such a short time.”

Technology is another force shaping the future of sports architecture, particularly in training environments. “In the United States, for example, some centres now include virtual spaces where athletes rehearse plays in simulated environments. These spaces are expensive but transformative, and we’re designing them to be adaptable for future needs,” Debbie explains. She also highlights the ongoing debate around shared versus separate facilities for men’s and women’s teams. “Shared spaces make financial sense and can foster collaboration, but they come with challenges like scheduling and prioritisation,” she says. “Separate facilities, on the other hand, can send a strong message of investment in women’s sports. There’s no universal solution; each project needs to balance practicality with vision.”

Ari believes younger generations will further reshape the way sports spaces and events are designed. “What we see with younger audiences is that there’s a loneliness epidemic, therefore Gen-Z and millennials are really valuing community-driven experiences,” she says. “Even with the rise of digital technology, the tangible, shared experience of being at a live event is irreplaceable. We’re designing for that visceral connection.”

This shift is also influencing how new sports venues are built. Populous is currently working on major international projects that merge traditional sport with digital experiences. In Saudi Arabia, the firm is designing a hybrid stadium that combines football with a highly immersive digital environment. “The challenge is to create a space that feels equally engaging for someone watching a football match as it does for someone attending an e-sports event,” Ari explains. “It’s about blending physical and digital worlds in a way that feels seamless and exciting.”

Maria Knutsson-Hall , Debbie Power, and Ari Lorenzana are championing an inclusive design philosophy that all sports and entertainment venues should embrace

Maria sees these innovations as part of a broader transformation in sports architecture. “There’s so much potential to redefine what sports spaces can be,” she says. “Whether it’s designing for extreme sports, creating hybrid digital-physical environments, or supporting the growth of women’s football, the future is full of opportunities.”

The impact of thoughtful sports design goes beyond aesthetics or functionality. It shapes how people experience sport, how they connect with teams, and how they engage with the spaces themselves. The work being done by Ari, Debbie, and Maria is not just about improving stadiums or training centres; it is about redefining who sport is for and how it feels to be part of it.

That future is already taking shape. From Morocco to Australia, Populous is proving that stadiums are no longer just venues, but community hubs, cultural landmarks, and spaces where innovation meets tradition. As women’s sport continues to rise, so too does the demand for stadiums, training grounds and events, designed with inclusivity at their core.

Ari believes that change is inevitable. “We don’t just design for fans; we work with them,” she says. “By immersing ourselves in their experiences, we can create spaces that truly reflect their needs and aspirations. It’s about listening and learning at every step.” Listening. Learning. Building something better. The next era of sports design is already taking shape, and it is being shaped by women.

Find out more about Populous here.