It hasn’t come easily, or quickly.
But after several years of political wrangling and public controversy, Brisbane is an important step closer to having its 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Stadium with a high-profile design team officially appointed to deliver the showpiece venue.
Announced today by the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA), two Australian companies COX Architecture and Hassell will link with Japan’s Azusa Sekkei to lead the design of the centrepiece stadium at Victoria Park in Herston.
When completed, Brisbane Stadium will have a 63,000 capacity for sporting events and up to 70,000 for concerts and, adjacent to the new National Aquatic Centre, will form part of Brisbane’s premier sporting and entertainment precinct.
COX and Hassell have collaborated on numerous high-profile sporting precincts including as anchor designers for Perth’s Optus Stadium, the redeveloped Adelaide Oval and the MCG.
Azusa Sekkei led the design for the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
GIICA said COX, Hassell and Azusa Sekkei were awarded the contract after an exhaustive three-month procurement process that began with an open market call for Expressions of Interest last September.
The new stadium will host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and athletics at the 2032 Games, before becoming the home ground for the Brisbane Lions, Queensland Bulls and Brisbane Heat.
GIICA
COX Architecture Director and Chair Richard Coulson said the stadium design is inspired by the ‘verandah’ qualities of the classic Queenslander-style homes.
“The Queensland character is defined more by humility than bravado, a quality reflected in the architecture of the traditional Queenslander,” Coulson said.
“The Games will provide an incredible opportunity for our city and our state on the world stage and the designs and approach outlined by COX, Hassell and Azusa Sekkei will deliver an iconic Brisbane Stadium that all Queenslanders will be proud to call our own,” GIICA Chairman Stephen Conry added.
With a budget of $7.1 billion, GIICA’s Games Venues Infrastructure Program has been charged with the delivery of 17 new and upgraded venues across Queensland and is jointly funded by the Australian Government and Queensland Government.
