Phillips Smith Conwell

QSAC SAF Throws Building

Builder

Hutchinson Builders

Completed

2022

Location

Nathan, Brisbane

Photographer

Angus Martin

The Throws Pavilion at QSAC, delivers a sustainable, zero-carbon outcome that ensures elite Commonwealth and Olympic level athletes and para-athletes can train in sub-tropical climate conditions year-round in preparation for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

The design was strongly influenced by an athlete’s sporting function, connecting movement with structure and built form to deliver a state-of-the-art training facility that is one of a kind in the southern hemisphere.

With such distinctive yet related functional ‘throws’ sports including javelin, shot-put, discus and hammer, three distinct building shapes were created: a strip for the javelin linear runup and throw; a cone for the helical spin of the discus and hammer; and a flat plane for the push of the shot-put.

The enthusiastic input from a collaborative team of expert designers, engineers and makers has resulted in a building that will impact several generations of athletes coming through Queensland Academy of Sport.

AWARDS

  • 2023 RAIA Queensland Architecture Award for Public Architecture
  • 2023 RAIA Greater Brisbane Regional Architecture Regional Commendation
  • 2023 Sustainability Awards – Public Building Highly Commended