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2032 or 1932? Brisbane’s Race to Prevent Olympics Laughing Stock

Amid the circus around venues, a global architect alliance are now pushing for the Brisbane Organising Committee to construct venues from timber shells and blended greenery instead of 'cookie-cutter' concrete.


Mon 28 Oct 24

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Queensland Premier-elect is poised to scrap plans to host the athletics at the Queensland Sports Athletics Centre (QSAC), with a decision on the main stadium, to be built at the Gabba or Victoria Park, to be made in the next 100 days.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, David Crisafulli—who claimed victory after ending nine years of Labor party rule—agreed with long-time premier Annastacia Palazszczuk’s call that retrofitting the QSAC was “going backwards.”

“I might just allow the former premier to be able to put her point of view across, and I’ll put mine,” Mr Crisafulli said about former premier Steven Miles’s proposal to rebuild QSAC and invest in upgrading Lang Park and the Gabba. “And that is, within 100 days Queenslanders will see a plan that they are proud of and in doing so, we can restore faith in the process.”

Mr Crisafulli, who has repeatedly slammed the QSAC proposal as a “thought bubble” and an “embarrassment”, spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the games hours after Steven Miles conceded defeat.

“I spent a considerable amount of time talking to the Prime Minister about that, and we intend to speak directly to the (federal) sports minister (Queensland-based Anika Wells), and I reckon we can get a good outcome.”

In July, the Queensland Government released new QSAC renders

The “no frills” QSAC – with a capacity of just 40,000 – is a far cry from the Stade de France, the state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium and even the timber-rich Japan National Stadium, the hosts of the 2020, 2024 and 2028 Summer Olympic Games.

Earlier this year, Nine papers published an artist’s image of the 40,000-capacity stadium, which will include just one permanent, covered grandstand plus temporary seats around the rest of the venue – leading some in the media to lambaste Brisbane as a “hillbilly town.”

A Department of State Development and Infrastructure spokesperson said the image was “illustrative only and does not reflect a final reference design for QSAC.” The spokesperson added that “the project validation report process, including for QSAC, involves consultation with a range of stakeholders, both internal and external to government, and supported by briefing material such as presentations, with images to aid discussions.”

The enormous roof was fabricated by Shinohara Shoten, one of Japan's largest timber fabricators. (Photo Credit: Japan Sport Council)
The renders are a far cry from Japan’s National Stadium, which is the host of the Tokyo Olympic Games. Earlier this month, Wood Central spoke to the fabricator of the enormous timber roof. (Photo Credit: Japan Sport Council)

It comes after Wood Central revealed, in March, that Queensland Premier Steen Miles made a “captain call” in rejecting a $2.7 billion Gabba redevelopment and a “marginally more expensive” stadium at Victoria Park and instead pushed to retrofit and rebuild Lang Park, used for the Opening and Closing ceremonies, upgrade the Gabba (for cricket) and the 1980s-era Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre for athletics.

“The Queensland government provided funding which, before the [ex-Lord Mayor Graham Quirk-led] Sports Venue Review, was to be the $2.7 billion upgrade to the Gabba, which will now support investments to be made in QSAC, Suncorp Stadium and the Gabba,” according to a spokesperson for the Queensland government.

How on earth did it come to this?

In August, a global design alliance led by local architectural and engineering practices Buchan and Aurecon combined with Nikken Sekkei —who together designed the Japanese National Stadium and SoFi Stadium (the hosts of the 2020 and 2028 Games)—revealed plans for a series of modern “legacy building” stadiums built from timber.

Known as the Brisbane Design Alliance, the group claims that the Queensland Government has a “once in a generation” opportunity to deliver instantly recognisable and “distinctly Australian” stadiums.

Designs by HKS architects, which show the stadium being used for cricket.
New designs produced by HKS architects have pushed for a timber-rich stadium at Hamilton Northshore.

In an interview with the Courier Mail, HKS Director Andrew Colling said the stadiums could feature a timber shell with blended greenery and sandstone instead of a cookie-cutter concrete stadium. Mr Colling said the stadium could incorporate a parkland observation deck on its roof and a cocoon of timber and sandstone to “create something that’s not only distinctly South East Queensland but distinctly Australian.”

“Timber should play a big role, and we’ll be celebrating the fact we love to be on timber verandas…I’d go as far as to say there’s no reason we couldn’t turn the roof into a park with an observation deck looking back to the city.”

HKS Director Andrew Colling, who has been pushing for timber-rich “legacy building” designs ahead of the 2032 Summer Olympic Games in Brisbane.

By opting for a greenfield (i.e. complete knockdown and rebuild) rather than brownfield refurbishment, the alliance said Brisbane was in an enviable position to create something unique.

An artists impression of the new Gabba from the outside for the 2032 Olympic Games. Image Credit Supplied by Queensland Government Wood Central 2
An artist’s impression of the Gabba from the outside for the 2032 Olympic Games. This design proposal has now been scrapped. (Image Credit Supplied by Queensland Government)

“We know the Gabba is not the easiest or cheapest choice for the government,” Mr Colling told the Courier Mail, “but it’s the right choice because if you look at where Brisbane will be in 20 years after the Olympics, it will be a global city.”

Earlier this year, an Olympics task force recommended Victoria Park over the Gabba.

Earlier in the year, former Brisbane Mayor Graham Quirk led a 60-review of Queensland’s infrastructure for the Games and ultimately recommended a new stadium at Victoria Park to replace an “end-of-life” Gabba.

“Brisbane needs a world-class stadium and arena,” the review states.

“A greenfield stadium at Victoria Park, with up to 55,000 seat capacity in legacy and 50,000 seat capacity during the Games, would likely cost between $3bn and $3.4 billion depending on scope options chosen; however, it provides an opportunity to deliver the best outcome and overcomes many of the shortcomings faced at the Gabba due to its space restrictions.”

“The Gabba rebuild, up to 55,000 seat capacity in legacy and 50,000 seat capacity during the Games, cost on a comparable basis, is likely to now cost around $3 billion, plus $185 million to $360 million in displacement costs for AFL and cricket.”

“A new stadium at Victoria Park enables a smooth transition, for cricket, AFL and other major events, from the Gabba to the new stadium.”

Earlier this week, Brisbane Lions CEO Greg Swann said the proposal Victoria Park (rather than Gabba) location for a new stadium should be taken seriously. (Photo Credit: Supplied by ARCHIPELAGO)
In May, Brisbane Lions CEO Greg Swann – the Gabba’s anchor tenant – said the proposal for Victoria Park (rather than Gabba) location for a new stadium should be taken seriously. (Photo Credit: Supplied by ARCHIPELAGO)

The review has been advised that the minimum cost to keep the Gabba operational until 2032 is around $400 million to $500 million, and the cost to extend its life beyond 2032 and upgrade the venue to modern code compliance is around $1 billion.

“Due to the cost of a new stadium, the panel carefully considered an option to upgrade QSAC Stadium to 40,000 seats for the Games, with 14,000 seats in legacy mode, for $1.6 billion and keep the Gabba operational and compliant beyond 2032 for $1 billion.”

“The combined cost of upgrading QSAC plus keeping the Gabba operational and compliant beyond 2032 is comparable to building a new stadium.”

“However, it delivers significantly less legacy and commercial benefit.”

Author

  • Jason Ross

    Jason Ross, publisher, is a 15-year professional in building and construction, connecting with more than 400 specifiers. A Gottstein Fellowship recipient, he is passionate about growing the market for wood-based information. Jason is Wood Central's in-house emcee and is available for corporate host and MC services.

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