Melbourne’s “Rectangular” Stadium – Cox Architects

I’d wager that every lover of small government has their own weakness.  Something spinning their wheels that, quite possibly, wouldn’t exist without big government. Not at least in today’s world.

For me, that weakness is sports stadiums.  And there’s nowhere that does sports stadiums like Melbourne. The MCG.  Etihad. Rod Laver Arena. Just some of the city’s world class facilities.  And head east from central Melbourne along Olympic Boulevard, and you find stadium nirvana. Discover your current stadium is too small for what’s needed, and it sometimes seems the Vic government will swiftly knock up another.

And not just any old thing either. The stadiums already gracing Melbourne were pretty special. But then, recognising that league, soccer and rugby—featuring teams like the Melbourne Storm, Melbourne Victory, and the new Melbourne-based Super 15 rugby team—all need a smallish ground shaped in something other than a large oval, (and no city does oval stadia like Melbourne) the former Olympic Park has now become the home of all sports needing a rectangular ground—all of them , in Melbourne, minority sports.

The result is this $267.5 million Melbourne “Rectangular” Stadium, built over the road from the cathedral of sport that is the MCG, with capacity for over 30000 punters, and featuring “a cutting edge 'bio-frame'“ shell roof design.

And there’s a pretty spectacular “light show” associated—the stadium’s exterior is set to light up to reflect the emotions of the crowd inside. Quite a neat gimmick, I think you’ll agree.

I can’t wait to visit.

BWBTWBTW: the view looking back from stadium row isn’t half bad either.  [These last two photos by William Bullimore.]