Optus Stadium

For Australians, sport is fundamental to cultural identity – with stadiums often the crowning jewels of the nation’s cities.

With its ‘fan-first’ design, Optus Stadium in Perth is up there with the most-loved Australian destinations for sport and entertainment.

The 60,000-seat colosseum gives every single fan an incredible view for every single event – from cricket and rugby to concerts and athletics. The venue’s seamless integration of audio-visual elements makes for an even more memorable experience.

It’s world-class in every sense. At the same time, it’s entirely of its place – reflecting the state’s proud sporting, cultural and Aboriginal heritage. Like a gleaming trophy, the bronze, anodised aluminium façade reflects the unique geology of Western Australia, while a lightweight fabric roof shelters 85 percent of the seats from the searing Perth sun.

DESIGN INNOVATION

Building Information Modelling is ingrained in everything we do at Hassell – and Optus Stadium is one of our most successful examples of this. In fact, our BIM work on the stadium has earned international attention for the quality of the modelling and the level of collaboration between our designers and partners on this large, complex project.

In 2018 members of our Design Technology & Innovation team travelled to the US to showcase the stadium’s model at an international industry conference attracting more than 10,000 professionals.

On the stadium project, BIM allowed us to collaborate, coordinate and integrate around 150 Revit design software files and 21GB of data to produce a world-class venue.

Client

Brookfield Multiplex

Location

Whadjuk Country
Perth, Australia

Status

Completed

Year

2018

Scale

60,000+ seats

Collaborators

Hassell COX HKS

Design team

Peter Dean, Brenden Kelly, Anthony Brookfield, Peter Lee, Rob Hardie, Nick Pearson, Reuben Bourke, Hannah Galloway, Ben Rees, Brad Anderson, Mark Ainsworth, Kris Bather, Narelle Corker, Phil Davies, Clare Dawson, Robin Deutschmann, Caroline Diesner, Sean De Boer, Toby De Boer, Sarah Gaikhorst, Toby Hitzman, Aysen Jenkins, Rod Marshall, Ruth Nichols, Patrick O’Neill, Hannah Pannell, Simon Perroni, Doug Pott, Simon Rich, David Rey, Michael Ruehr, David Russell, Thanhson Su, Carl Tappin, Jill Turpin, Patrick Vereker, Lucy Wilson, Suzy Wright, Asile Wong

Imagery

Peter Bennetts

Share

Twitter Facebook LinkedIn

“This award [Prix Versailles 2019 for Sports] just confirms what West Australians already knew – that it is the most beautiful stadium in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.”

Mike McKenna Optus Stadium Chief Executive

85% of seats are undercover – together with the colosseum-style configuration this means no bad views or seats

83% of a capacity crowd can be moved with an hour of an event with a new six-platform train station and transport strategy

>1K TV screens inside the stadium - for full coverage of the action

The latest addition to the award-winning stadium is a 42-metre-high viewing platform dubbed VERTIGO, opened in early 2022.

The universally accessible platform is designed so everyone can enjoy a unique experience walking beyond the edge of the stadium roof. Our aim was to physically express the pure joy and excitement of seeing your team competing.

Located on the stadium’s western side, the platform extends out five metres beyond the roof. Direct lift access ensures everyone can reach this one-of-a-kind attraction.

Vertigo also features a lean-out experience allowing visitors to see out over the field of play as well as the potential for operator-led activities like abseiling.

Stadium

Multiple seating configurations for different events – from 60,000 up to 70,000 people
450 wheelchair and 327 enhanced amenity seats
More than 70 food and beverage options
Façade reflecting state’s unique geology by day and home team colours by night
State-of-the-art LED lighting system
More than 1,000 screens for uninterrupted coverage
Two 340sqm ‘super screens’
First all-LED stadium in world

Open 365 days a year – for all kinds of activities and events
Covered community arbour links new Stadium Station to Swan River
More than 150 ancestral homes of Indigenous language communities recognised in artwork throughout stadium and parklands
Children’s playgrounds with integrated indigenous artwork
Network of walking and cycle tracks plus more than 600 bike racks
1,500-seat waterfront function room
A public bar and café open for event and for non-event day functions

2019 Stadium Awards - Australia’s Best Stadium
2019 Stadium Awards - Best AFL Stadium
2019 Stadium Awards - Best Major Stadium
2019 Prix Versailles – World Title – Sports
2019 International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IOC IPC IAKS) Architecture Prizes – Silver (IOC IAKS) and Distinction (IPC IAKS)
2019 Good Design Award – Gold Winner – Architectural Design: Commercial and Residential
2019 Planning Institute of Australia Awards – Winner – From Plan to Place
2018 The Stadium Business Design and Development Awards – Project of the Year
2018 Australian Institute of Architects National Architecture Awards – National Award – Public Architecture
2018 Australian Institute of Architects National Architecture Awards - The COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture
2018 Australian Institute of Architects (WA) Awards – George Temple Poole Award
2018 Australian Institute of Architects (WA) Awards – Colourbond Steel Award
2018 Australian Institute of Architects (WA) Awards – Jeffrey Howlett Award for Public Architecture
2018 Australian Institute of Architects (WA) Awards – Wallace Greenham Award for Sustainable Architecture