• Home
• >
• Recreation
• >
• Sport facilities & hire
• >
• Margaret Whitlam Recreation Centre
• >
• Design features

Design features

Designed by McPhee Architects, the Margaret Whitlam Recreation Centre is a multipurpose community recreation facility integrated with the historic Waverley Park. Its clever design complements the existing park landscape with a partially ‘buried’ green roof which provides views to the ocean.

Environmental build

Built from concrete containing 20% recycled material, steel and glass, the Margaret Whitlam Recreation Centre incorporates a number of passive design elements that contribute to energy-efficient operation year-round, including:

• Extensive use of glass to provide natural day-time lighting, and night-time lighting using LED, the most efficient lighting technology currently available.
• Use of recycled rubber in the sports court flooring.
• Green roofs and mechanical ventilation providing temperature control and air flow.
• The curved roof shading the grandstand is constructed of a ‘sandwich’ of Colorbond and polystyrene insulation that helps to keep the building cool.
• A 25 kilowatt solar photovoltaic system installed on the northern edge of the curved roof generates approximately 80 kilowatts of electricity a day and reduces grid electricity consumption.
• Installation of energy and water efficient appliances including ‘heat pump’ water heaters.
• Capture of water runoff from the roof stored in a 67 kilolitre tank for re-use in cleaning and toilet flushing.
• Capture of sub surface seepage stored in the park’s 44 kilolitre subterranean water tank, for irrigation of the oval and other playing surfaces and gardens.

Landscaping

The overall design for the landscaping seeks to achieve flow of the parklands over and around the building, softening its modern profile and providing a link between the ‘forests’ surrounding the Victorian-era water reservoir and the traditional grassed memorial gardens.

Plants selected include native bird-attracting species and both natives and exotics with tolerance for drought, salt and wind. Council has planted a number of trees to enhance shade and wildlife habitats. Pathways and walls in the landscaping were built from locally reclaimed brick and sandstone to enhance the links with the past.

A single Port Jackson Fig (Ficus rubiginosa, native to eastern Australia) was planted alongside the building to provide a natural balance, shade, wildlife habitat and an iconic link with other historic Sydney parklands.

Public artwork

A beautiful public artwork by Graham Chalcroft welcomes visitors at the entrance to the Margaret Whitlam Recreation Centre.

Graham was selected by Council because of his commitment to developing artworks of community and cultural significance. His sculpture is made from multi-layered laser-cut ply. A representation of the Oval's circular form makes up the central point of the work. Woven around the central circle, Graham has created sports and other figures evolving from tree roots to represent the Park’s dual histories of sport and nature.