Marvel Stadium short-listed for AIA Victorian awards — Grimshaw. Picture Dianna Snape – for herald sun real estate
The AFL is in the running for what could be its first architectural award after upgrades to the league-owned Marvel Stadium were short-listed for a top industry gong.
The Australian Institute of Architects Victorian awards program’s 384 submissions across 15 categories also included a short-listing of the Joel Selwood Stand redevelopment at GMHBA Stadium in Geelong by architects Populous for the regional prize.
Marvel Stadium’s upgrades by Grimshaw as well as Smartform & Greenaway Architects have been short-listed for the Urban Design category.
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The upgrade, which overhauled change rooms for the men’s and women’s competitions and made them more media-friendly to help connect players with living rooms around the nation post game.
It also added a rooftop deck, expanded arrival and departure gates and renewed dining options as well as implementing bars to provide for more pre and post-game entertainment, were also part of the overhaul.
Grimshaw architects head of strategic communications Bradford Gorman said the upgrades had been important for the more than 20-year-old stadium as the sport that owned it had shifted and changed.
Expansive glass added during the upgrades has provided a light-filled entry point for fans via a redesign overseen by Grimshaw architects. Picture: Peter Bennetts.
But Mr Gorman also recognised its rise as one of the few concert venues in the southern hemisphere that could provide an outdoor experience, and still close the roof if the weather turned, helping it attract the likes of Pink and Coldplay in the past year.
For fans, he said the big difference now was the ability to enter and exit the stadium in a more expeditious way, as well as a better designed catering aspect.
He added that the changes had also ensured fans in wheelchairs had been promoted from ground level seating to some of the best vantages in the stadium.
The AFL bought the stadium for about $200m in 2016, and announced a $225m upgrade alongside the Victorian government in 2020.
Australian Institute of Architects Victorian chair of juries Hamish Lyon said it was quite likely this would be their first nomination for an architectural award.
GMHBA Stadium’s Joel Selwood Stand update by Populous has also been short-listed for the AIA Victorian Awards.
In both the case of Marvel and the Joel Selwood Stand, Mr Lyon added that the architectural efforts reflected that the stadiums were increasingly being recognised for their high exposure as important sporting hubs — and to embrace fan experiences for those attending games as well as those seeing the spaces at home.
“Marvel, when it was built it was built as a sports facility and place to watch the game, and maybe get a pie and some chips,” he said.
“But all the redevelopment has extended the fan offering.
“The sports experience extends well before the game starts and after it finishes.”
The Populous design put fans at the forefront.
Mr Lyons, from NH Architecture, added that Geelong had also been well represented in this year’s awards, with additional short-listed sites including the Malop Arcade and Geelong College.
“And there’s no question that the redevelopment of GMHBA Stadium is essential to Geelong’s economy,” he said.
In many instances games at the stadium drew footy fans to the city over weekends, many attending local eateries and pubs if not also staying in the city overnight.
Mr Lyon added that there had been a wide range of adaptive reuse reflected in this year’s awards program, which he said was likely to continue and even expand as people in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis sought ways to keep good architecture affordable by reconditioning existing buildings rather than demolishing and starting anew.
COX Architecture’s work on Glen Huntly Station has been short-listed for the AIA Victorian awards in 2025. Picture: Peter Clark.
Other noteworthy short-listed projects for 2025 include the Paula Fox Melanoma and Cancer Centre, the Central Goldfields Art Gallery in Ballarat, Glen Huntly and Deer Park train stations, as well as a number of Melbourne CBD revitalisation projects including at 120 Collins St.
FULL VICTORIA AIA 2025 SHORTLIST
COMMERCIAL ARCHITECTURE
116 Rokeby Street | Carr
555 Collins Street | COX Architecture with Gensler
Everlane Cremorne | Fieldwork
120 Collins Street Revitalisation | Hassell
Decjuba HQ | Jackson Clements Burrows Architects
Melbourne Place | Kennedy Nolan
Office in Collingwood | MGAO
Rosella Cremorne | Rothelowman
Northern Memorial Park Depot | Searle x Waldron Architecture
Melbourne Quarter Tower | Woods Bagot
The StandardX | Woods Bagot
EDUCATIONAL ARCHITECTURE
South Oakleigh College | Architecture
Kangan Institute Health and Community Centre of Excellence | Architectus
Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence | ARM Architecture
Pascoe Vale Primary School | Kosloff Architecture
St Kilda Primary School | Law Architects
Woodleigh Regenerative Futures Studio | Mcildowie Partners with Joost Bakker
Belerren Sports and Wellbeing Centre, The Geelong College | Wardle
Auburn High School Senior Centre | WOWOWA Architecture
HERITAGE ARCHITECTURE
Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat, Redevelopment Stage 3 | Conservation Studio
Scotch College Errington Retreat | COX Architecture
Parliament House Stone Restoration Works | FPPV Architecture
Gunn Ridge House | Kennedy Nolan
Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve | Lovell Chen
Central Goldfields Art Gallery Nervegna | Reed Architecture
Terrace House | Rob Kennon Architects
Stone restoration works at Victoria’s Parliament House have been short-listed for the AIA Victorian awards – overseen by FPPV Architecture.
INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
Hume Council Chamber | Architecture Associates
Murran – First Nations Business, Retail and Arts Hub | Dawn Architecture
Domain | Flack Studio
Hopetoun Residence | Freadman White
120 Collins Street Revitalisation | Hassell
Gunn Ridge House | Kennedy Nolan
Melbourne Place | Kennedy Nolan
Eva and Marc Besen Centre | Kerstin Thompson Architects
Paula Fox Melanoma and Cancer Centre | Lyons
she sells sea shells | multiplicity
Sarah & Sebastian Armadale | Richards Stanisich
PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE
Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool | CO.OP Studio
Eagle Point Foreshore Hub | Common ADR
Glen Huntly Station | COX Architecture with Rush Wright Associates
Deer Park Station | Denton Corker Marshall
Dendy Beach Pavilion and Brighton Life Saving Club | Jackson Clements Burrows Architects
Truganina Community Centre | Jasmax (Canvas Projects)
Eva and Marc Besen Centre | Kerstin Thompson Architects
Paula Fox Melanoma and Cancer Centre | Lyons
Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital | Lyons
St Mary’s Coptic Church Studio | Bright
The Paula Fox Melanoma and Cancer Centre designed by Lyons has been short-listed for the AIA Vic awards. Picture: Peter Bennetts.
RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE – HOUSE (ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS)
Mess Hall | Architecture
Park Life | Architecture
Fox Hall House | BKK Architects
Domain | Flack Studio
Bryant Residence | Freadman White
Ayr House | Ha Architecture
Gunn Ridge House | Kennedy Nolan
Carlton Cottage | Lovell Burton Architecture
House in Anglesea | MGAO
A Light Addition | Office MI—JI
The Apple House | Sally Draper Architects
Dunstan | SSdH
Oval House | Topology Studio
RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE — HOUSES (NEW)
Grey House | Adam Kane Architects
Stumpy Gully House | Adam Markowitz Design with Stavrias Architecture
Warrandyte House | Figureground Architecture
Otway Beach House | Kerstin Thompson Architects
House on a Hill | Leeton Pointon Architects and Allison Pye Interiors
House on the Bay | Lovell Burton Architecture
Shady Creek Farm House | MRTN Architects
she sells sea shells | multiplicity
Fishharven | Neil Architecture
Dusty Miller House | Not All Architecture
Terrace House | Rob Kennon Architects
Howqua River Lodge | Rob Mills Architecture & Interiors
Hedge and Arbour House | Studio Bright
RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE — MULTIPLE HOUSING
Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing
Nightingale Preston | Breathe Architecture
Como Terraces | Carr
Shiel Street North Melbourne, Community Housing Project | Clare Cousins Architects
The Paddock | CROSBY architects
131 Smith Street | Freadman White
Assemble 15 Thompson Street, Kensington | Hayball
Bangs Street Prahran | Jackson Clements Burrows Architects
Housing Choices Preston | Six Degrees Architects
Brighton Social Housing | SJB
Newburgh Light House | Splinter Society Architecture
82 Westgarth Walter | Walter
The Victoria Street Collective | Zen Architects
The Nightingale apartment complex in Preston by Breathe is short-listed for the AIA awards. Picture: Derek Swalwell.
SMALL PROJECT ARCHITECTURE
Wangun Amphitheatre | Equity Office
Fourth Green Bridge | Inarc Architects
Grace Darling Hotel Parklet | Kerry Kounnapis Architecture Practice
Geelong Laneways: Malop Arcade | NMBW Architecture Studio with ASPECT Studios
URBAN DESIGN
Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence | ARM Architecture
Glen Huntly Station | COX Architecture with Rush Wright Associates
Marvel Stadium Upgrades | Grimshaw with Smartform & Greenaway Architects
Dendy Beach Pavilion and Brighton Life Saving Club | Jackson Clements Burrows
COLORBOND AWARD FOR STEEL ARCHITECTURE
Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence | ARM Architecture
Casuarina Pavilion | Greenaway Architects (GA)
A Light Addition | Office MI—JI
Fitzroy North House | Pop Architecture
MELBOURNE PRIZE
Kangan Institute Health and Community Centre of Excellence | Architectus
Shiel Street North Melbourne, Community Housing Project | Clare Cousins Architects
120 Collins Street Revitalisation | Hassell
Truganina Community Centre | Jasmax (Canvas Projects)
Melbourne Place | Kennedy Nolan
Pascoe Vale Primary School | Kosloff Architecture
Northern Memorial Park Depot | Searle x Waldron Architecture
The 120 Collins St Revitalisation overseen by Hassell. Picture: Peter Bennetts.
EmAGN PROJECT AWARD
BVIA on Bank | Agius Scorpo Architects
North Melbourne PHRP | McBride Charles Ryan
Dusty Miller House | Not All Architecture
Echo House | PARABOLICA
Dunstan | SSdH
Clique | WOWOWA Architecture
REGIONAL PRIZE
Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence | ARM Architecture
Eagle Point Foreshore Hub Common | ADR
The Paddock | CROSBY architects
Wangun Amphitheatre | Equity Office
Eva and Marc Besen Centre | Kerstin Thompson Architects
Central Goldfields Art Gallery | Nervegna Reed Architecture
Geelong Laneways: Malop Arcade | NMBW Architecture Studio with ASPECT Studios
GMHBA Stadium Stage 5 Redevelopment (Joel Selwood Stand) | Populous
The Apple House | Sally Draper Architects
Belerren Sports and Wellbeing Centre, The Geelong College | Wardle
SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE
Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool | CO.OP Studio
The Paddock | CROSBY architects
Danthonia Passive House | Etha Architecture
Woodleigh Regenerative Futures Studio | Mcildowie Partners with Joost Bakker
Northern Memorial Park Depot | Searle x Waldron Architecture
Larnangurrak (Our Place) – Dja Dja Wurrung Corporate and Community Centre | Y2 Architecture
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