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ARCHITECTURE
Sports Venues – Projects
Photo: © Peter Glenane
The roof is one of the four key individual design elements
that have contributed to the overall architectural form; others
are the bowl, concourse and the undercroft. The result is a
cohesive architectural form conceived as a “container” where
the seating bowl becomes the key architectural expression
allowing concourse areas to be developed independently.
Large areas of glazing maximise views and expose the internal
architecture to passers-by.
The design and construction of Margaret Court Arena
has been determined not only by the demands of its busy
working precinct environment, but also by the physical
constraints of having neighbours on all sides which has
created additional challenges, particularly the phasing of
construction.
But the design team, NH Architecture + Populous,
believes this has ultimately provided a positive influence,
ensuring the team is both focused and exacting in the way
it has planned and executed the project. The court position
and seating bowl were already fixed, so a great deal of work
was undertaken in planning the building, particularly the replanning
of circulation networks for spectators and back of
house staff.
The project sets a new benchmark with its sustainability
initiatives. It is aiming to be the first LEED accredited sports
venue in Australia, so that it can be compared with other
similar global venues for ESD measures. Water consumption
has been carefully considered and sustainable strategies
adopted to reduce potable water consumption. Enabling
works have provided the infrastructure for rainwater
Photo: © Peter Glenane
harvesting and treatment facilities, which include a 4.5
millilitre storm water retention tank to capture rainwater from
the new roof. Preliminary calculations demonstrate an overall
reduction of 45 percent in water use against conventional
arena design water efficiency measures. The Arena’s
proximity to alternative public transportation minimizes the
need for onsite parking and sets aside more space for natural
areas thereby serving to reinforce the precinct’s unique park
setting.
Now complete and fully operational, Margaret Court
Arena is a significant step in the realisation of the Melbourne
and Olympic Parks Masterplan putting the precinct back at
the forefront of arena design.
56 Southeast Asia Building MAY-JUNE 2015