The architect of the Buffalo Bills' new multi-billion-dollar stadium has claimed that the issues with the structure were not a design flaw nor an oversight despite severe fan backlash. 

The NFL franchise opened the doors to the $2.2 billion state-of-the-art stadium in Orchard Park for a practice session at the weekend, giving fans their first glimpse of the new Highmark Stadium. 

However, the grand reveal left fans in uproar as attendees shared videos and photos demonstrating severely compromised views of the playing field.

Yet, Populous' Americas practice, the New York-based architecture firm behind the build, has now admitted that the flaws were actually intentional. 

Jonathan Mallie, the firm's global director and managing director, told The Buffalo News that the goal had been to design a stadium that would create a heightened atmosphere and brings fans as close to the field as possible. 

That, in turn, required sacrifices to be made, including, it appears, the view of many spectators.  

'You will find some level of obstruction in every stadium in the world,' Mallie told the outlet. 

'The goal was to bring everybody closer to the field and create an upper deck with an incredible proximity and presence within the bowl to help create a next level experience for Bills Mafia,' he added.

Mallie also explained that NFL stadiums are now required to follow stricter safety code requirements than the older builds around the league. 

Populous also designed the stadium to allow for larger concourses to afford greater flow and more space for spectators passing through.  

Following Saturday's first event at the stadium, several posts racking up millions of views showed lower-level seats, including those near the 50-yard line, partially obstructed with paneling. 

Meanwhile, fans in the upper deck revealed staircase railings and glass partitions blocking sight lines to much of the field and end zones. 

Substantial frustration was also directed at personal seat licenses (PSLs) and expensive lower-tier seats, where standing platforms completely blocked the view of the opposite side of the field for many spectators.

Some supporters claimed they felt misled by franchise representatives, alleging that they had been explicitly assured that railings and safety barriers seen in virtual venue tours would not impede real-life sightlines.

Taking to X, many fans voiced their frustrations with the design of the stadium.

One fan, sharing a picture of their seat, said: 'This is our view in 418. We were told that the railing that was obstructing the view in the virtual tour wasn't going to be a problem in real life. Well it is.'

'Whoever designed the new Bills stadium... wasn't very keen to detail. Imagine paying tens of thousands on PSLs and season tickets and walk into a view like this,' another fan wrote on social media.

They later replied to their own post, adding: 'It affects every single section in the entire upper deck of the stadium for the first 5-10 rows (depending on your height). That is thousands of people.'

Another fan said: 'The obstructed view seating inside the Bills new Highmark Stadium is definitely a significant problem. The fact there are fans claiming ticket reps blatantly lied to them is an even bigger issue.'

Meanwhile, one user wrote: 'So not hating even a little bit. This is one of the worst stadiums ever built in history. Genuinely the Roman's (sic) figured this out thousands of years ago.'

Despite the region's reputation for brutal, snowy winters, the team instead opted for an outdoor venue to help preserve the Bills' homefield advantage.

And to save locals from having to shovel out the stadium, as has been the case for decades in Orchard Park, the builders included a system that channels snowmelt away from the seats.

The technology relies on sensors to detect precipitation and plummeting temperatures. Those sensors will trigger a hydronic heating system, which then melts away the snowfall from atop the canopy that covers more than half the seats.