Project Team
Cox Architecture
Geoff Ninnes Fong and Partners
WATPAC

Product
Beam 21 (Spotted Gum)
Select Appearance Grade
450 x 85mm Blades

The Gold Coast Aquatic Centre was originally established as the Southport Pool in the 1960s. Recently, it was redeveloped as a joint partnership between the City of Gold Coast and the Queensland Government.

Facilities were expanded to include a competition pool, training pool, program pool, diving pool, learn-to-swim pool, children's play pool, gymnasium, dry-dive facility, community meeting rooms, spectator concourse and approximately 1,000 permanent spectator seats.

An overarching drive to have the building reflect the Gold Coast's celebrated outdoor engagement is reflected in the planning and architectural response, with timber has incorporated to soften the vast extent of concrete and to provide colour, texture and scale.

Cox Architecture worked closely with Hyne Timber in seeking plantation sourced timber and Queensland manufacturing. The large glue laminated blades contribute significantly to the exterior expression of the building, and the spacing of the sections was designed to reduce solar gain. The result is a beautiful, flexible solution that is appropriate for use in external public environments. Comprehensive weathering and movement strategies have all been established in collaboration with the Hyne Timber Commercial Projects Team.