The building form of the Western Australian Institute of Sport High Performance Service Centre (WAIS) is inspired by the examination of the elite athlete’s physique in performance. Thus the main elements of the building’s design (structure, cladding, services and specialist functional areas) are deliberately articulated as legible expressions of the relevant physiological elements of the human body: the skeleton, skin, muscle and internal organs.
The building’s form is contemporary and dynamic. Expressed structure and the use of a range of clean, strong materials are seen as recognisable visual cues to the sporting nature of the building.
To create the sculptural form of the entry Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) was used. Material selection was guided by a desire for a slick, sleek finish, and of course something that could be formed into an organic shape was needed.
Key functions are aligned either side of a circulation spine running east-west through the length of the building. This double storey space affords external views at each end of the building to assist with orientation and allows views from the upper level administrative accommodation through to training and testing spaces.
The functional design of the building reflects current best practice with provision of a high quality internal environment: controlled acoustics, ample natural light, good indoor air quality, outlook with functional flexibility in an environment that reinforces the organisation's identity and purpose.
These principles have been established through research, experience and knowledge gained from visits to elite level sports facilities. A key design feature is the connectivity between the administrative first floor and the state-of the-art testing and training spaces at the core of the building, taking advantage of increased height and voids, and allowing all support sectors of the organisation to visually interact with the heart of the facility.
Features: • A 625 m2 multi-purpose indoor sport science testing area. • Hydrotherapy and recovery pools (260 m2). • An 80m, five lane indoor athletics track including a complete pole vault setup (with decline mechanical runway section), ability for indoor javelin / throwing sports and a long jump pit. • Strength and conditioning gym – 715 m2. • A 280 m2 laboratory for the WA High Performance Sport Research centre, including a 70 m2 heat/humidity/altitude laboratory. • Athlete amenities including study zone, kitchen and day area. • Altitude house for athletes to sleep over night at altitude. • Offices / administration for coaches and WAIS staff. • Provides a daily training environment for 285 high performance athletes, over 28 sports with 14 dedicated programs.
Facility users: WAIS athletes, staff, coaches, trainers and other sports experts.
