Eureka Stadium upgrade for Commonwealth Games

Article posted by Coliseum, April 7^th, 2023

Image: Cox Architecture

Cox Architecture and Morton + Co Architects (a regionally-based, community-focused architectural practice delivering innovative designs that inspire and connect) have been appointed as the design consultant team for works on the $150 million upgrade to the Eureka Stadium in Victoria, Australia, in the lead-up to the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria.

‘Roads & Infrastructure’ stated that from March 17^th to March 29^th, 2026, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Gippsland, and Shepparton will host 20 sports and nine fully integrated para sports.

New South Wales (Australia)-based Cox Architecture is a design-focused contemporary architectural practice with studios located in every major Australian City and a history spanning 60 years. Cox seeks to do more with less, tapping into resourceful Australian culture to build value through ingenuity. It strives for quality through its beliefs in equality and opportunity. The design firm embeds culture in its designs, taking time to listen and understand the cultural context and social impacts.

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The 11,000-capacity Eureka Stadium, known commercially as the Mars Stadium, is an oval-shaped sports stadium located in the Eureka Sports Precinct of Wendouree, 2.9 km North of the central business district (CBD) of the City of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.

The 2026 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XXIII Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Victoria 2026, is a multisport event for members of the Commonwealth scheduled to take place across four regional sites in the Australian State of Victoria: Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, and Gippsland. The Games will take place over 12 days between March 17^th-29^th, 2026. The 2026 Commonwealth Games will be the first to be held since the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the accession of King Charles III as Head of the Commonwealth on September 8^th, 2022.

‘Roads & Infrastructure’ further stated that for the Games an additional 18,000 temporary seats will be installed as will a competition standard track on the existing playing field. A new athletics track will be built at the site and the stadium will be expanded to hold an additional 5,000 permanent seats, with improved accessibility access.

The Eureka Stadium will host athletics and para athletics, and the Ballarat’s sports program will also include marathon and boxing.

Cox Architecture will partner with Ballarat firm Morton + Co Architects to lead the project from concept design phase through to detailed design and construction.

The Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery Jacinta Allan said the infrastructure development will showcase the regional communities to a global audience – “It’s exciting to see the Games coming to life as we prepare to deliver world-class infrastructure that will generate jobs and contribute billions of dollars into Victoria’s economy.”

It is estimated the Commonwealth Games will contribute more than $3 billion to Victoria’s economy and create more than 7,500 jobs before, during and after the Games.

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