Closed

This consultation is now closed.

Consultation on the Manuka Oval media centre closed on March 30, 2017 after a month long consultation period. The consultation included community workshops and drop in sessions where community members helped to develop a set of guiding principles for the project. Additionally, community members were also invited to provide feedback on draft designs of the project online – the positive feedback received helped inform the design of the media centre.

Construction of the new Manuka Media Centre has begun and will be completed in time for Canberra’s first International Test Match during the 2018/19 Summer Cricket Season.

This state of the art facility will help bring more world class sport to the ACT.


Artist's impression of the new Manuka Oval Media Centre

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About the project

Manuka Oval is hosting more cricket and AFL matches, including Test match cricket for the first time in 2018-19. As announced last year, the ACT Government will be building a new media and broadcast centre at the oval.

The new permanent broadcast and media facilities will improve the oval and are essential for our city to host Test cricket.

The facility will be a positive long-term economic investment for Canberra, with new revenue opportunities from increased covered seating as well as additional room and function-venue hire when not hosting international cricket.

The ACT Government has identified the southern end of the oval (the Canberra Avenue/ Manuka Shops end) as the preferred location for the new media centre. International Cricket Council requirements determine the technical requirements for the centre and these must be achieved in the design of the facility.

The government hosted two workshops with community representatives and stakeholder groups in March to seek feedback on draft designs for the centre.

Key documents

Principle 1:

Design of the building should complement the heritage aspects of the Manuka Oval precinct. This includes respecting the ‘circle of trees’ that surround the Oval and are an important part of the Manuka Oval experience.

The architect has considered this principle within the design by:Community representatives provided the following feedback on the draft design:
  • Building on and enhancing the geometry and shape of the Oval.
  • Not seeking to replicate, but rather compliment the heritage items and buildings in the Manuka Oval precinct.
  • Use of neutral colours and natural materials within the façade treatment
  • Preserving and complementing the circle of trees.
  • Design of the facility to compliment the Pavilion typology of the other buildings at Manuka Oval.
  • The size of the building on the landscape should be softened through the use of additional plantings, particularly large trees and greening of the building through the use of plant features. The building should seek to blend more into the natural environment.


Principle 2:

The design of the building needs to be of a high quality, reflecting the existing standard of design at Manuka Oval.

The architect has considered this principle within the design by: Community representatives provided the following feedback on the draft design:
  • Quality, natural and contextual materials - composite timber battening, double glazing, textured precast walls and amenity of the public realm at entrance level.
  • Create a building with ‘active edges’ responsive both to the street frontage to the south end of the precinct and also facing on to the Oval.
  • A building design that showcases Manuka Oval as a high quality media, sporting and function venue.
  • Composition of the external envelope consider the surrounding context, light and transparency, sun angles, material durability and micro-climatic conditions of the users.
  • Minimising the potential impact of lighting and noise from functions held within the new media centre building should be factored into the design. The impact of building lights on traffic on Canberra Avenue should also be considered.
  • The design of the building should reflect good Energy Efficiency Requirements (EER), with features such as solar panels and rain-water collection.
  • The design should confirm that there will be no corporate advertising on the outside of the building.

Principle 3:

The incorporation of multi-purpose function spaces should be a high priority in the design of the Media Centre. This function space should be easily accessible by users. The operation of the function space should consider concessional pricing for community organisations.

The architect has considered this principle within the design by: Community representatives provided the following feedback on the draft design:
  • High priority in the design, incorporating flexible function spaces, outdoor function spaces, with quality spaces created that celebrate the Manuka Oval Heritage and Landscape features.
  • New frontage and address to Canberra Avenue allows easy access by users, independent of accessing the entire oval complex for non-match day event use of the facility.
  • Fully accessible design of the facility for all user groups from media,broadcast, VIP and player areas in Cricket Mode, providing varying levels of Hospitality offerings in AFL Mode and Community user and Group hire.
  • The design of the building should take into consideration the security plan for the media centre.

Principle 4:

In establishing a main entrance on Canberra Avenue, consideration should be given to improving public transport access and pedestrian movements around the site, particularly during large events.

The architect has considered this principle within the design by: Community representatives provided the following feedback on the draft design:
  • Establishing a main entrance on Canberra Avenue raises considerable traffic and pedestrian movement challenges and is not incorporated into this design.
  • This design focuses on providing a new address for users of the Media Centre, including game-day media and users of the function facilities on nongame days to the Manuka Oval precinct.
  • The new address is provided through utilisation of the existing signalised crossing of Canberra Avenue and upgrades to soft, hard landscaping and lighting elements to the south of the new facility.
  • There should be a better explanation of the role of the Canberra Avenue ‘entrance’ or ‘address’ to ensure people understand it is not a mass public entrance for game-day events, but rather access for non-game-day functions held in the media centre building.

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