COX would like to congratulate our Client, the Queensland Government, all stakeholders and the people of Townsville on the completion of the Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
Designed in association with Counterpoint Architecture, the final project was achieved after a deeply collaborative process between the design team, HPW, Stadiums Queensland, WATPAC and the North Queensland Cowboys.
Consultation with the Wulgurukaba Peoples played an important role in the stadium’s delivery. COX recognise the Wulgurukaba people of Gurambilarra (Townsville) and Yunbenun (Magnetic Island) as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Queensland Country Bank Stadium stands. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.
Key features of the design include:
o A fan-focused seating bowl and f and b facilities for optimum game experience
o Accommodation of up to 25,000 patrons for sporting events and 40,000 patrons in concert mode.
o Community-based design including event plazas for smaller for game day and general community use.
o Enhancement of city amenity to drive local economic benefit for all
Queensland Country Bank Stadium was won in a competition in 2016. The stadium took a year to design, and only two years to build.
A Building of its Place -
In defining a sense of place for the stadium the team worked closely from the local context. Critical to the success of modern stadia and essential to regional stadia is a sense of identity. It is through the desire to create a unique sense of place and identity that we drew inspiration from the form of the native Pandanus tree.
Pandanus Tectorius is native to North-Eastern Australia stretching up to the Torres Strait, common on the coast but in tropical Queensland growing inland as well. The strap-like tapered leaves were a suitable reference point for consideration of the roof geometry.
The roof structural scheme, developed with Arup, achieves a structural elegance in the face of cyclonic wind conditions and with a construction methodology that significantly reduced propping and provided flexibility in the construction sequence.
The building will be the single largest in Townsville and one of the largest in Northern Australia. It is at the gateway to the CBD and will be one of the defining images of the city. As well as the physical relationship to the City, the horseshoe stadium form is uniquely identifiable to North Queensland and will have a recognition both nationally and internationally.
The Stadium is in an urban landscape that is deeply influenced by local topography. Mt Stuart, Castle Hill and Magnetic Island are key landmarks in Townsville and the organic nature of the venue responds to these dominant physical elements.
- A stadium for every event and every visitor
The Queensland Country Bank Stadium is an expression of Queensland - North Queensland in particular. It combines the functional and operational aspects of international modern stadiums with an engagement with the environment that is quintessentially Queensland.
Through the development of a ‘fan first’ approach to the design of the stadium COX have forged a unique stadium with a sense of place, belonging and community.
A deep understanding of the importance of social gatherings, the technical aspects of venue operations and a variety of patron offerings has led to the development of a stadium design that has the powerful sense of ‘home team’ advantage.
Director of COX Architecture Richard Coulson said the new stadium is considerate of both locals and fans.
“The Stadium used the philosophy of maximising the passive design and architectural strategies as a basis for sustainable design.”
“That is; build less, enclose less and connect with the city context.”
Technology-based solutions were adopted in lighting, energy efficiency and water use.
Queensland Country Bank Stadium will host its first event, Sir Elton John, on the 29th of February 2020. Its second major event, the Cowboys vs Broncos season opener, will take place on March 13th. The first release of tickets for this match sold out in 45-minutes.
