A new sports building was designed and built in Western Australia using COLORBOND steel roofing and steel cladding from BlueScope Steel .  

Located at Underwood Avenue, Cambridge in WA, the WA Basketball Centre was designed by Architects Peter Hunt and Daryl Jackson Architects. The $45 million building was financed by the West Australian Department of Sports and Recreation with funds from the state and federal governments.  

The new sports building is built on the picturesque AK Reserve and consists of eight basketball courts, including two game courts and six practice courts, an underground car park as well as administrative and function facilities.  

The client’s brief was to design a dynamic sports building to replace the ageing 8-court basketball stadium. A key requirement was for the building to take full advantage of its environment. The building also needed to accommodate a 2000-seat show court to complement the existing sports facilities in the vicinity.  

COLORBOND steel for the roof and cladding  

The building’s roof was made from COLORBOND steel in the profile LYSAGHT SPANDEK and colour Shale Grey while the cladding was done in COLORBOND metallic steel in the profile LYSAGHT CUSTOM ORB and colour Façade to create a striking aesthetic for the exterior, which complemented the surrounding environment by providing a sensitive connection to the landscape.  

The building incorporates a flora and fauna strip as an integral part of the complex as well as a streamlined fuselage-like form, which extends from one end of the site to the other.  

Design highlights of the sports building:  

  • Retains much of the existing flora in the space by integrating the building’s form with nature without compromising sporting requirements  
  • Green features include stormwater tank for the toilets, recycled greywater for landscaping, natural ventilation systems, high density roof insulation and solar hot water systems
  • All courts on display to the 2,000-seat audience
Awards:  
  • Winner of the 2010 AIA (WA) Public Architecture Award
  • Winner of the 2010 AIA (WA) COLORBOND Award for Steel Architecture
  • Commendation for the 2010 Master Builders (WA) Excellence in Construction Award Best State Government Building