Ever wonder how Tottenham Hotspur ended up with the best stadium in the country? You suspect architect Christopher Lee's 3am phone calls with Spurs' demanding chairman, Daniel Levy, played their part as the pair debated the smallest detail imaginable.
Unlike Levy, you would not necessarily recognise Lee if he walked down the street, but chances are you will have seen one of his stadiums. In fact, Lee has designed more than 30 arenas on five continents, including the aforementioned Tottenham Hotspur Stadium; the Emirates; and the Principality in Cardiff, which was the first stadium in the UK with a fully retractable roof.
Lee is also leading the work on the masterplan for the proposed redevelopment of Old Trafford and the design of AC Milan and Inter's new home, the Cathedral. Lee, clearly, has his hands full with his firm, Populous, but the architect is 'super excited' by Newcastle owners' wish to one day expand St James'.
