Design & Development

Wrexham unveils fresh designs for new Kop Stand

Images: Populous

Wrexham AFC has today (Monday) unveiled new designs for the redeveloped Kop Stand at the STōk Cae Ras stadium.

The new 5,500-capacity stand has been designed by Populous and includes provisions for safe standing, hospitality and accessible seating.

The seating bowl has been designed to create a home end for the club’s fans to “reinforce the atmosphere” at the current stadium, with the design of the roof optimised to amplify sound from the fans towards the pitch.

The new design will also support an increase in capacity, subject to a separate planning application. Player and officials’ facilities will be integrated into the new Kop Stand, allowing fans to welcome the team onto the pitch through a new player tunnel.

The rear of the stand also features an external brick façade, which pays homage to the city’s ‘Terracottapolis’ nickname. The brick façade has been built against a glass wall along key areas at the rear of the stand, and two dragons from the club’s crest are embossed into one corner of the stand.

Populous said the overall effect of the stand will create an “authentic aesthetic” that is grounded in the history and heritage of the city. The rear of the stand also looks onto a public plaza that will act as a fan space on a match day and a community space.

Plans for the plaza include the positioning of the sister wheel of the Gresford Colliery wheel in remembrance of the miners who died in the 1934 mining disaster.

The new stand will be fully compliant with UEFA Category 4 stadium requirements, enabling the stadium to host matches at the UEFA European U19 Championship in 2026, as well as other international matches in the future.

In October, Wrexham appointed Populous as the club’s architect to create a masterplan for the stadium, with the initial focus to be on the redesign of the Kop. The appointment came after the club announced last summer that it would be readdressing its stadium redevelopment plans, with a temporary stand currently in place where the new Kop will be located.

The temporary stand was built midway through the 2023-24 season after it emerged that the new Kop would not be open for the start of the 2024-25 campaign as originally planned. The club has previously worked with AFL Architects on its stadium redevelopment plans.

Last month, Wrexham said its review of the project was suitably advanced to allow for the progression to the next stage of the plans. The objective remains for the Kop to be completed for the UEFA youth tournament next summer.

Following the release of the new Kop designs, Michael Williamson, Wrexham AFC chief executive, said: “The new Kop Stand marks a special moment in the history of the STōK Cae Ras, allowing us to restore the traditional four-sided enclosure of the stadium, providing new and improved facilities and experiences for our fans and visitors to the stadium alike.

“The distinctive design of the new Kop Stand embodies the history and heritage of Wrexham – rooted in the local community creating a timeless, authentic piece of civic architecture that complements other landmarks. It will provide an iconic landmark standing at the gateway to the city giving it a true sense of place.”

Declan Sharkey, global director and senior principal at Populous, added: “We have designed the new Kop Stand to be both authentic and unique in its approach to hosting Wrexham’s passionate fans. To do that we involved our team of audio consultants to maximise atmosphere, while the physical design of the façade at the back of the stand takes inspiration from the local brickwork and the city’s ‘Terracottapolis’ nickname, to link it to the generations of fans that have visited the ground in the past.

“The striking form and profile of the stand facade uses Ruabon-style red brick with dynamic textures and modern interpretation. The angled planes and carved form of the brick façade echo the strata of coal and slate seams that represent the industrial heritage of the local area, with the feeling that they have emerged organically from the ground they stand on.

“A contemporary approach to the brick detailing enables layers of transparency through the brickwork that dissolve the boundary between the stand and the public plaza outside. This allows visibility into and out of the stand, responding to the club’s role as an open and integral part of its local community.”

Wrexham AFC has been owned by Hollywood actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds since February 2021. The club has achieved back-to-back promotions from the National League and is currently third in League One amid the owners’ long-term ambition to secure Premier League status.

Expansion of the stadium has been a key priority for McElhenney and Reynolds. A year after the pair bought Wrexham, the club reached a heads of terms agreement to purchase the freehold of the Racecourse Ground.