Willowdale Sports Precinct
Willowdale is a Stockland community in Sydney’s South West, which when complete will comprise of more than 3,000 homes. We’ve just completed building the 5.5-hectare Willowdale Sports Precinct, designed by ASPECT Studios.
We have delivered:
- One full-sized AFL competition field with two full-sized soccer pitches inside, a cricket pitch, cricket training nets, and a secondary training field;
- Pathways that connect to the existing Riparian corridor;
- BBQ areas and shelters;
- An all-access playground;
- A thoughtfully designed amenities block that pays tribute to the area’s rich Aboriginal heritage through creative brickwork and storytelling plaques;
- Car park facilities;
- Sports field lighting.
Building the Community Heart
Designed by Sam Crawford Architects, the Willowdale Sports Precinct building is a stylish reimagining of the traditional sportsfield clubhouse and amenities building. It draws the eye with a striking blend of red materials, textured brickwork and soft touches of pink.
It houses a clubroom, kiosk, change rooms and public amenities, serving a functional purpose, being a place locals want to gather, all while providing as an appealing visual focus.
Paying homage to the cultural heritage of the area, the patterned brick design of the sports precinct building is inspired by the unique ground ovens and baked clay balls that were manufactured and used at this location by Dharawal and Darug families.
You can read more about the design inspiration for this building here.
Construction Considerations
As the Willowdale Sports Precinct site neighboured a sensitive riparian area, it was critical to minimise impact during construction to the environment. Our team created exclusion zones to safeguard these areas.
Robust, low-maintenance and bushfire-aware materials were utilised during the build of this new precinct to suit the local context.
Our Turfcare team also installed an efficient drainage and irrigation system, to ensure the sports fields withstand all kinds of weather.
The Pluses We Brought To This Project
Project Partners
- Client: Stockland
- Council: Campbelltown City Council
- Landscape Architect: ASPECT Studios
- Building Architect: Sam Crawford Architects
- Artist: Lymesmith
PROJECT DETAILS
- The playground has a 2.5 metre gradual transition to adjacent pathways to support prams and mobility devices.
- The main cricket field at the Willowdale Sports Precinct matches the size of the MCG.
- The sportsfields are built to tight performance specifications, with engineered rootzone grading and physical characteristics, formal hold/witness points and pre-placement control testing, and turf handover/performance tests (Clegg hardness, infiltration, traction) to ensure safe, consistent play.
Community Engagement
- With the fields now officially open and over 2000 in attendance at the official opening, we are pleased to say that the local community is already enjoying these new facilities.
What They Say
I’m incredibly proud of the Willowdale Sports Precinct project, bringing inclusive Aboriginal artwork, an all-access playground, and engineer-designed sports fields to the community.
It reflects our best work: quality, collaboration, and a place people genuinely love to use.”
Matt, Project Manager
Solutions+