Architecture students to help Panthers score a different kind of field goal

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Architecture students to help Panthers score a different kind of field goal


Right now the La Perouse Panthers Rugby League Club makes do with half an oval, a change room-cum-canteen and an old shipping container for storage, but that looks set to change thanks to a team of architecture students from the University of Technology, Sydney. Over the next six months the students are working with the diverse community based around the sports club to draw up detailed plans for a new community centre and improved sporting facilities at Yarra Oval - plans that will allow the Panthers Club to apply for funding and seek development consent. The six students, Jonathan Lynch, Angela Rowson, Kathryn Bunn, Chantel Carr, Carl Redfern and Wes Baker, drew up their original plans as an entry in an international design competition - they were finalists - but along the way the competition became less important than making the concept a reality. "The more we talked to the community the more we forgot about the competition," Jonathan Lynch said. "They have a serious need for better social infrastructure and Yarra Oval is the most obvious place for this to happen, due to the existing community focus around sports. The main priority is providing a facility for the kids of a standard that will foster future sporting endeavours and careers. "We made the initial approach but now the impetus is coming from the community, led by projects officer Danny Allende, who helped us write the submission for the design competition." The UTS team's core design comprises a building in two parts, car parking, two playing fields with terraces for spectators and wheelchair-accessible pathways linking all areas of the site. The building will house a café, a youth drop-in centre, change rooms and bathrooms, storage for sports equipment, a gym and meeting room/function centre. "Our design philosophy is to keep it simple and cost effective with maximum use of local resources and skills," Lynch said. "We're hoping local industries will help out by providing building materials. "A modular and prefabricated design for the building will make it possible to involve the community in the building process and entrench their ownership over the building and facilities. It would also be a great learning experience for the young people in La Perouse, something that could involve local TAFE colleges, for instance. "Our main job is to produce a master plan for the site and detailed architectural plans for the building, but we see our role as being actively involved throughout the project's life, from the design and building right through to the point of use. It's an amazing learning experience for us." Thursday 10 February 2005