At first glance, you might dismiss it. But take a second look at this structure in Australia. Once you do, you may start to see why this is a multi-award-winning design and why it’s such a big deal in the world of eco-friendly construction. The more you look, the more you’ll see a brighter picture of the future begin to emerge.
The Eric Tweedale Stadium designed by Design Worldwide Partnership is unlike anything else in Australia. This large stadium, in the words of Ivana Simkovic, the design director of the design worldwide partnership in Sydney, “is an impressive achievement and benchmark in timber engineering.” But soon, buildings like this will be scattered all over the world…if the world is lucky.
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You’ll find it in Granville Park NSW, Australia. The stadium has recently won the Australian Timber Design Award. It is a prestigious honor that is given to structures that show innovation and outstanding timber design.
The overall form of the stadium echoes the history of the site where it’s located and it’s got all the practical features. In addition to the stands, which of course are central to the design, there are changing rooms, a commercial kitchen area, a multi-purpose room and a large space for all sorts of different functions. There’s even an outdoor viewing deck.
The roof is made in a cantilever design that covers the seating area in a simple, elegant style that honors the clean lines of the natural world and honors the timber material itself. Lovely timber needs no additional embellishment or bells and whistles. Here, the design speaks volumes for itself.
And what it says is that you’re looking at the future of design. Timber is becoming more and more popular as a building material after more than a century of being unpopular. Large-scale fires in cities in the late 1800s created a lot of mistrust for timber structures. Building in metal and concrete became far more popular and desirable in the 1900s.
Now, the world is moving back toward timber, a sustainable material that is becoming more fire-resistant all the time thanks to new treatments and methods that take nothing away from the eco-friendly nature of the wood. Timber degrades naturally and more of it can be grown. It’s beautiful, sustainable and a great alternative to other building materials that take a lot more energy to make.
They say that in good design, form follows function. That’s just what this stadium is designed to be: functional. But the standout timber design is also an example for designers around the world to follow. Hopefully, they will.
+ Design Worldwide Partnership
Images via dwp
Written by KC Morgan
