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Location
4 Woods Street, Norwood
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Completed
September 2020
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Architect
Tridente Boyce
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Type
Construction, Fitout
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Delivery Type
Fixed Lump Sum
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Duration
16 months
Award-winning redevelopment
Adelaide’s Norwood Oval has been part of the landscape for close to 120 years. It has been the site of countless Aussie Rules football matches as well as being used for many other sporting and community events. This well-known venue is the home ground for the Norwood Football Club in the South Australian National Football League and is the primary home ground of the Adelaide Crows in AFL Women's.
In 2019, we were contracted to complete a long-awaited project that would provide a new, two-storey multi-purpose community function centre, and overhaul existing change rooms and facilities. The main feature of the project was to erect a new pavilion between the southern Sir Edwin Smith Grandstand and the Western Grandstand. This ‘Wolf Blass Function Centre’ features a downstairs bar, complete with serving areas and kitchen facilities, and a brand new high-end function area upstairs. The outside of the building has ramps, split-level viewing decks, and paved areas so spectators can take in the action on the oval.
The Sir Edwin Smith Grandstand was upgraded to add change rooms, offices, a boardroom and a gym. At the existing Western Grandstand, a kiosk, umpires’ change room, amenities, and two away team change rooms were created. The challenge for construction teams was to work around a heritage-listed site, accommodate the existing facilities as part of the project and tackle additional repair requirements that were encountered as part of the works.
In 2021, . The Ken Gannon Awards recognise the remarkable examples of best-practice development that benefit the game and communities across Australia.
Uniting the community
Norwood Oval has always been more than a ‘footy field’ and has incredible significance to the local community. As a supporter and sponsor of the Norwood Football Club, we recognised the significance of this project and were proud to be involved.
There's a lot of deep passionate support of the SANFL and the Norwood Football Club. There's a lot of talk around town and on social media. Even the SA Premier is a Norwood club member and came to have a look at the new facilities.
Upgrading a site steeped in history
Norwood Oval was in need of an upgrade to accommodate the needs of players, spectators, members and officials but creating a new structure between two existing ones allowed minimal room for error. The coordination of trades and shop drawings was crucial for the project to succeed.
The new club facilities had to look state of the art without interrupting the overall look of the historic stadium. The design included a suspended glass bridge spanning across the breezeway entrance between the new build and the Southern Sir Edward Stand. Completing this bridge required countless hours of engineering and problem-solving to ensure a finished product that was structurally sound and also met the design intent.
On the outside of the stadium, a key feature of the revamp was the Woods Street facade, which included three layers of cladding in the Norwood Football Club colours and an external mesh screen.
Project challenges
The major challenges of this project related to working between the two existing stands. Given the age and construction quality of the Sir Edwin Smith Grandstand, our team had to pause for numerous miscellaneous repairs throughout the project.
To overcome difficulties, the team placed extensive temporary propping so they could demolish the old concrete and brickwork columns. This allowed the new structural footings and columns to be installed to suit the new layout.
A great sense of pride
Wolfgang Blass himself lent significant support to the Norwood Oval upgrade, to ensure more people can enjoy using the football club. Having recognised the desperate need for upgrades, his persistence helped get the project off the ground and he has spoken of his pride for the project.
Norwood Mayor Robert Bria remarked on how the development will bring “a great sense of pride in the local community.”