Perth's billion-dollar stadium set for grand opening, as government attempts to make sporting history
One of the Asia Pacific’s most flexible stadiums will open this Sunday (19 January) in Perth, Australia, with an open day welcoming fans into the 60,000 capacity landmark.
The AU$1.6bn (US$1.2bn. €1bn, £925m) Optus Stadium – collaboratively designed by architecture firms Hassell, Cox and HKS – is owned by the state of Western Australia and can accommodate athletics, cricket, football, Australian rules football, rugby league and union, and huge concerts and shows.
Located east of the Perth Central Business District, the ground is the focal point of a new public Sports Precinct, designed by Hassell, that stretches to the banks of the Swan River.
Constructed as a large bowl, the stadium boasts five tiers, the largest stadia super screens in the southern hemisphere, and a lightweight fabric roof covers 85 per cent of seats.
On the outside, its striking bronze facade uses anodised aluminium to reflect the state’s unique geology by day, while at night it will be illuminated by LED lighting.
Landscape design around the surrounding precinct is inspired by the six seasons of the local Indigenous people, while artwork recognises the ancestral homes of the 152 different language communities in Western Australia.
Leisure facilities, connected by walking and cycle trails, include an amphitheatre, children’s playgrounds, picnic areas, restaurants, bars, a boardwalk and a community sports oval that will be available for public use on non-game days.
The precinct, the stadium, the river and a purpose-built bus and train station are connected by a covered community arbour.
According to the architectural team, the design of the entire project “acknowledges Western Australia’s unique sporting, cultural and Aboriginal heritage”.
Optus Stadium will be home to Perth’s two Australian Football League (AFL) teams – the Fremantle Football Club and the West Coast Eagles – and the Perth Scorchers Twenty20 cricket team.
The first official fixture to take place will be between the AFL women’s teams Fremantle and Collingwood on 10 February. The state government is offering reduced-price tickets and free public transport in a bid to attract the country’s biggest crowd for a standalone women’s sporting match.
At least 30,000 fans are expected, which would break the AFLW attendance record of 10,000, but if more than 41,000 travel to the game it will eclipse a national record that has stood since 1929.
“The fact the AFLW secured the first football match at Optus Stadium shows just how far women’s sport has come in this state,” said Western Australia’s women’s interests minister Simone McGurk.
“We've seen huge increases in participation and interest in recent years in a whole range of women’s sports – and AFL Women’s has been instrumental to that success.”
Optus Stadium Perth Wedtern Australia Australia Hassell Cox Architecture HKS AFL Fremantle Football Club West Coast Eagles Perth SchorchersFour operators shortlisted for Cox, HKS Sport and Hassell-designed AU$1bn Perth stadium
Construction work begins on 60,000-capacity Perth Stadium


Bjarke Ingels-designed Oakland baseball stadium a step closer

London's Battersea Power Station prepares for major launch

Weiss/Manfredi and Reed Hilderbrand reveal US$250m redevelopment for Longwood Gardens, Philadelphia

Baca Architects submits scheme for floating eco-wellness resort

MVRDV reveal ambitious plans to create Marble Arch visitor attraction for London

Coventry's former IKEA building slated to become arts and cultural centre of international importance

World's first entirely wooden stadium approved for use by EFL

Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter and ASP Architecture create hidden nature retreat inspired by hygge and Nordic hospitality

Zaha Hadid’s Opus building houses spa designed by The Wellness

Meow Wolf creates mind-blowing Las Vegas attraction – Omega Mart

BRC selected to design new World Food Center – will explore sustainability and global food supply

Ritz-Carlton Reserve opens with luxury spa at Japanese alpine ski resort

Scott Brownrigg-designed Museum of Military Medicine in Cardiff given planning approval

Work starts on US$898m e-sports arena in Shanghai

Gyms added to the mix for new super-luxe retail roll-out

OMA designs Miami Beach's ReefLine – a seven mile-long underwater sculpture park

Ole Scheeren and Shigeru Ban team up to design art and cultural destination in Hangzhou

FIFA files criminal complaint over funding of €459m world football museum

ReardonSmith leads design of Heya – a hotel room concept offering personalisation for each guest

Disney reveals first visuals of ambitious Star Wars attraction – including designs for hotel 'pods'

Flaxmill Maltings – the world's first cast-iron framed building – is to be redeveloped as a visitor attraction by Mather & Co

LVMH announces Bulgari Hotel for Miami Beach, with design by Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel

Technogym opens retail store in Los Angeles

AZPML and UKST win competition to design Korean Museum of Urbanism and Architecture

Delos partners with TPP Capital to advance access to health and wellbeing solutions in urban communities

The Well creates integrated wellness retreat in New England countryside for Auberge Resorts

Architects 10 Design reveal plans for ambitious Edinburgh city centre plans

Perth's Boola Bardip museum opens in new AU$400m building designed by Hassell and OMA

UK Government's £1bn scheme to decarbonise is 'a huge opportunity' for the leisure industries
