Hard Rock Stadium

Designing the home stadium of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins almost four decades ago, Populous built in some innovations that might not stand out so much today — but that’s only because these innovations were so successful, they have been adopted as a standard part of venue design ever since.

Year

1987
Total Capacity

65,300
Disciplines
- Architecture
- Interior Design
Collections

Conceived at a time when many U.S. stadiums were criticized because they didn’t have a tight enough focus on any specific function, Hard Rock Stadium was intended for multipurpose use from the outset, as the home of the Dolphins and, until 2011, the MLB’s Florida Marlins. Our team developed a system that allowed easy reconfiguration between football and baseball modes — a logistical solution that was unheard of at the time.

The stadium’s biggest legacy is the invention of the concept of club seating, reflecting a shifting paradigm towards enhancing premium experiences for fans, and generating extra revenue streams for a venue’s occupants. Our approach, anticipating the sporting and business potential of the venue, showed a nuanced understanding of the wider role stadiums can play in the sports industry. Today, it’s unthinkable that planning for a new stadium would be approached in any other way.

In 2006, we returned to the stadium to undertake a renovation.

To date, the stadium has staged six Super Bowls, and is set to host multiple matches when the FIFA World Cup comes to North America in 2026, cementing its enduring legacy.

Awards

1999 Night Beautiful Award | Florida Power & Light
1998 Facility of Merit | Athletic Business Magazine
1991 Bronze Award | IAKS

Explore More Projects

Penrith, Australia 2026 Penrith Stadium
Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia TBC Aramco Stadium
Casablanca, Morocco TBC Stade Hassan II — Casablanca Stadium
East Meadow, United States 2024 Nassau County International Cricket Stadium
사우디아라비아 키디야(Qiddiya) TBC 프린스 무함마드 빈 살만 스타디움(Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium)
홍콩 가우룽(Kowloon) March 2025 카이탁 스포츠 파크
미국 버팔로 TBC 버팔로 빌스의 새 NFL 스타디움
Foxborough, United States 2023 Gillette Stadium North End Zone
Milan, Italy TBC New Inter Milan Stadium
Tokyo, Japan TBC New Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium