The Welsh side, co-owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, unveiled proposals for the new Kop Stand yesterday (3 February) designed by the sports specialist architect, which replaced AFL on the job last year.Populouss proposals which have been submitted to Wrexham County Borough Council include seating and safe standing for 5,500 supporters and a hospitality space, which has been designed to allow for future capacity increase and non-matchday use.The seating bowl and roof are designed to amplify the sound of spectators towards the pitch, Populous says, with promises that the new stand will create an atmospheric home for the Welsh football sides home fans.AdvertisementThe stand will have a red brick exterior with a lattice effect and two dragon-shaped brick motifs representing the football clubs badge. Populous describes this as a modern interpretation of the history surrounding the locally-produced Ruabon red brick and Wrexhams Terracottapolis nickname a reference to the citys manufacturinghistory of tiles and other terracotta products.The practices global director and senior principal, Declan Sharkey, explained: We have designed the new Kop Stand to be both authentic and unique in its approach to hosting Wrexhams passionate fans. 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 faade 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 clubs role as an open and integral part of its local community.Populous was appointed as architect for the Kop Stand in October as part of a masterplan for the entire STK Cae Ras stadium after a previous design by AFL Architects was shelved.AdvertisementAFLs scheme won planning approval in November 2022 but the club later said that several matters need to be resolved before the stand could progress. Source:AFLAFL's unrealised Wrexham plansOutstanding issues included the grant funding agreement from the borough council and changes to the existing lease structure of the ground. Prior to the clubs takeover by Reynolds and McElhenney, the club had a complicated ownership structure which involved the local university and several other stakeholders.Wrexham says the Populous overhaul of the ground will make the Kop fully compliant with UEFA Category Four stadium requirements and will be completed in time for the UEFA European Under-19 Championship final tournament in 2026. This will allow the league one side to bring international football back to north Wales.Wrexham AFC chief executive officer Michael Williamson commented: The new Kop Stand marks a special moment in the history of the STK Cae Ras, allowing us to restore the traditional four-sided enclosure of the stadium, providing new and improved facilities and experiencesfor 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.Wrexham had hoped the previous design would be built out by the 2024/25 season.Earlier this month, Populous posted accounts which revealed its turnover had quadrupled from 34.9 million to a record 136 million.According to the companys accounts covering the EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) region for the year ending 31 December 2023, profit before tax rose 1,500 per cent, from 731,000 to 12 million in 2023. Meanwhile, the average number of staff in the EMEA region almost doubled from 166 to 288 employees (of which 257 were architects). Source:PopulousPopulouss Wrexham football club plans (January 2025)