WA Institute of Sport (WAIS)
High Performance Service Centre
The Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) High Performance Service Centre is a sports science, research and recovery building with state of the art training and testing facilities for Olympic and Commonwealth Games athletes encompassing 28 sports and 14 development programs.
“The design is very well resolved demonstrating significant skill, technical proficiency and integration of supporting expertise. Building performance is significantly enhanced by connectivity between spaces of diverse functions, particularly visual continuity between upper level office and lower level athlete areas. Interior finishes are well considered and selected to accommodate a wide variety of different activities.”
Jury Citation, 2016 Architecture Award – Public Architecture
Australian Institute of Architects (WA)
Client
Department of Finance on behalf of Department of Sport & Recreation
Location
Mount Claremont, WA
Construction Value
$33.7m
Completed
2015
Carabiner Team
Project Director: David Karotkin
Lead Consultant in collaboration with dwp
Includes:
Workplace and administrative spaces
Elite testing, gym and training spaces for a variety of sport and athletic disciplines
48 metre indoor running track with adjustable incline
Complex retractable netting systems for discus and javelin
Sport science and laboratory spaces
Indoor sports hall
We undertook a complex process of user engagement that involved coaching staff and administrative bodies for this broad range of sporting codes, the operating body VenuesWest, WAIS and the University of Western Australia.
We guided these stakeholders through the design process, helping them conceptualise the facility as a high performance workplace that had the potential to galvinise users around their shared mission and create opportunities for knowledge sharing and interaction.
The design solution provides a powerful symbol within an elite sports precinct.
The articulation of the athlete’s physique in the built form embodies the organisation’s purpose: to provide opportunities for talented Australian athletes to achieve excellence in elite sport with support from an environment of excellence.
Connectivity between the administrative first floor and the testing and training spaces at the core of the building take advantage of increased height and voids, and allow all support sectors of the organisation to visually interact with the heart of the facility.
The new centre allows WAIS to work with close to 300 athletes across 28 sports in 14 dedicated programs like cycling, swimming, gymnastics, track and field, hockey and kayaking as well as a host of individual athletes from sports outside WAIS. It incorporates rehabilitation and recovery facilities, a strength and conditioning gym, warm water and cold water recovery pools, an indoor runway, environmental and physiology laboratories, indoor sports hall and coaching and administration office accommodation.