Populous lands major Australia sports project

Image: Populous

The sports infrastructure architects at Populous and the local practice Stewart Architecture have been awarded the contract for the reference design and design brief for the Australian Sports Commission’s AIS Podium Project which will deliver the biggest refresh of the Australian Institute of Sport’s (AIS) campus in over 40 years.

‘POPULOUS’ stated that the project in Australia’s capital includes three new buildings designed to support the athletes on their way to the podium at the Olympic, the Paralympic, the Commonwealth Games, and the World Championship events.

Populous is a global architectural and design practice with regional headquarters in Kansas City (US), London (UK) and Brisbane (Australia) specializing in the sports facilities, the arenas and the convention centers as well as in the planning and design of major special events.

Fyshwick (Australia)-based Stewart Architecture shapes connected, inclusive Cities with generosity and invention. For us, Citymaking, architecture and interiors are all parts of the same idea and our aim is to achieve a more succinct conversation between them. All should be connected and all are better for being delivered in an integrated way with the urbanists sitting alongside the architects and the interior designers.

Bruce (Australia)-based the Australian Sports Commission is the Australian Government Commission responsible for supporting and investing in sport in Australia. The Commission incorporates the Australian Institute of Sport. From 2018 to 2022 it was known as the Sport Australia.

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is a high-performance sports training institution in Australia. The institute’s 66-hectare (163-acre) headquarters were opened in 1981 and are situated in the Northern suburb of Bruce, Canberra, Australia. The AIS is a division of the Australian Sports Commission (ASC).

‘POPULOUS’ further stated that the project comprises multistory Athletes’ Accommodation for 200 people, an indoor Sports Dome to accommodate all-weather training and a new High-Performance Testing and Training Centre (HPTTC). The design is guided by extensive consultation with the athletes training to compete in the future Games and caters for an inclusive range of users from very young and emerging athletes to the coaches and the support staff.

The Australian Sports Commission is focused on ensuring the buildings are designed to the high environmental standards, according to the passive design principles, ensuring flexibility for the future needs and connecting to the sites unique to the Canberra landscape and setting. A distinct and key feature of the project is the focus on universal and inclusive design to accommodate the para-athletes across the campus.

Asserted Al Baxter, Director and Senior Principal, Populous, “When the AIS Campus first opened in the 1980s the high-performance complex was ahead of its time. The model was replicated by countries around the world and became the benchmark for achieving athletic success. As we head to the Brisbane Games in 2032 these works will ensure a new legacy and long-term value for Australia and its athletes.”

Added Marcus Graham, Practice Principal, Stewart Architecture, “We’re excited to be part of this important legacy project. We’re working to deliver world-class, highly inclusive and efficient facilities that will be delivered holistically to ensure a cohesive site as the precinct continues to evolve.”

The AIS Podium Project will be delivered by a multidisciplinary team working at pace to fulfill the Australian Sports Commission’s brief. The collaboration is led by Populous, a world leader in the delivery of innovative and impactful high-performance sports infrastructure and precincts. The Canberra-born multidisciplinary practice, Stewart Architecture, will contribute its in-depth, on the ground local knowledge alongside its award-winning master planning and multiresidential design experience.

The AIS Campus is a 66-hectare (163-acre) site in the northern suburb of Bruce in Canberra. It sits on the Northern side of the Black Mountain Nature Reserve adjacent to the O’Connor Ridge. The multipurpose AIS Arena was recently upgraded (2024) but the remainder of the site has not received major improvement since its establishment in 1981.

The reference design and design brief will be finalized this year (2025) and infrastructure delivered to support major sporting event milestones.

The AIS Podium Project works will be subject to approval by the National Capital Authority.

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