Rod Laver Arena

The Arena is LEED Gold® Certified, awarded for sustainable building practices, materials and technologies.

All design decisions were taken to support a commitment to environmental responsibility including macro site planning initiatives that ensure excellent connectivity to public transport and the incorporation of innovative wastewater technologies, to more technical elements such as the selection of roof materials that reflect heat, therefore reducing the urban heat island effect.

The team embedded Environmentally Sustainable Design principles throughout the upgrade, ensuring that sustainability was prioritised to achieve outstanding results within the context of existing thirty-year-old building fabric, dated services, and a vast internal volume.

To create a continuous and appropriate architectural language and achieve harmony with the original architecture, contemporary additions that ‘plug’ into the existing structure were incorporated. The design is distinctive, incorporating elements representing themes of context, climate and configurability.

The project responds to and complements the surrounding parkland, and urban structures, integrated within its context and strengthening the precinct through enhanced infrastructure, technology and amenity, providing a venue that is engaging and welcoming and fulfilling the project’s vision to uphold Melbourne as a premier sporting and entertainment city by thoughtfully upgrading the facility in a way that upholds its legacy.

The seating bowl at the arena’s heart was improved and enhanced, capacity and accessibility maximised, allowing greater stage width and flexibility. Increasing the roof rigging load to 100 tonnes by utilising a new permanent truss vastly reduces time, cost and sightline impacts.

The new Eastern Annex delivers a dramatic public identity. Touching the existing structure lightly, this sculptural form, connected by bridges to the arena via a light-filled atrium space allows vertical circulation and natural light.

The overall design solution responds to and complements the surrounding parkland and urban structures, integrating the arena within its context and rejuvenating the precinct.

The design addresses pragmatic requirements and delivers innovative, modern infrastructure while maintaining sensitivity to the precinct masterplan.

The new built elements reflect the iconic nature of the facility. Pavilion and pods provide additional entry points and access to the expanded concourse, their design distinctive yet simple in structure.

Extensive back-of house modifications extend the loading dock to accommodate up to 21 semi-trailers, ensuring the arena’s place as one of the only venues in Australia with the ability to attract and host the world’s biggest touring acts.