The awards and recognition keep coming for Bankwest Stadium, with the pride of Western Sydney awarded the Silver Medal by a panel of international design experts at the 10th annual Stadium Database Stadium of the Year awards.
Bankwest Stadium finished behind only Tokyo’s Olympic showpiece, the Japan National Stadium, as the best stadium built anywhere in the world in 2019.
While the Japan National Stadium cost AU$2.4 billion to construct, the NSW Government built Bankwest Stadium for just $360 million – the first stage of the Government’s plan to rebuild the State’s major stadium network.
It is further outstanding recognition for the Bankwest Stadium that is approaching its first birthday after opening with a Community Open Day on 14 April last year.
StadiumDB.com is a Polish-based website that analyses the construction and design of football stadiums around the world.
Four international architectural experts were on the panel for the #StadiumOfTheYear Jury Award, with Bankwest Stadium finishing a close second. No Australian stadium has ever featured as high in the annual Stadium DB Awards.
The judges summed up: “Bankwest Stadium is simply one of the best stadia opened in 2019 and strong contender for Stadium of the Year.
“While Populous have designed many widely praised stadia worldwide, they still managed to create something quite unseen here in Western Sydney.
“The aesthetics of this Stadium is somewhat turned upside down: what is usually hidden by architects, is here exposed – the steel and concrete support structure becomes the Stadium’s main visual strength.
“Meanwhile, the roof’s membrane landed on the bottom of the girders rather than the top. This allowed it to become the illuminated part, also a boost for acoustics inside.
“We’re not done . . . the seating bowl offers as good conditions for football (and rugby) as possible. Steep stands, proximity to the field, extensive hospitality offer and great attention to family-friendliness (including a playground along the east stand), are features that make this Stadium great for fanatics, businesspeople and families alike.”
One judge said he felt weird voting for a competitor “but this Stadium is so good there’s nothing else left to do”.
The Silver Medal from the Stadium DB Awards is the fifth award bestowed upon Bankwest Stadium in its first year of operation.
In November, Bankwest Stadium was announced as joint winner of the 2019 Project of the Year at the BOOMTOWN! Property & Infrastructure Dinner at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth.
Bankwest Stadium was also awarded the Outstanding Sports & Major Events Project for 2019.
Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue Chairman, Christopher Brown AM, said at the Project of the Year awards ceremony: “Bankwest Stadium has been a massive hit with spectators, users and the community, and the positive economic and social flow-on effects it’s delivered, has helped validate the NSW Government’s stadium investment strategy and has been a boon to Eels and Wanderers fans.”
Bankwest Stadium was named Best Rectangular Stadium in the online Austadiums Stadium Awards of 2019.
Last September, the Bankwest Stadium project received its first award when Stowe Australia took out the NECA Excellence Award for its work on the revolutionary electrical and lighting systems within the Stadium, with stunning light shows a feature of night-time events at Bankwest Stadium.
Economic analysis conducted for City of Parramatta Council showed that, prior to the COVID-19 public health crisis, Bankwest Stadium was bringing a financial benefit of nearly $1 million to Parramatta each time an event was held at the Stadium.
More than 600,000 fans have passed through the Stadium’s turnstiles to witness sport and entertainment events since Bankwest Stadium opened its doors to the public on Sunday 14 April 2019.
An additional 30,000 visitors have attended functions, business meetings, community or cultural events in the same time period.
Bankwest Stadium hosted its first international football event in December when the Westfield Matildas played Chile in front of a crowd of 20,029 – a record attendance for a women’s football match in Australia.
The Stadium has already hosted an international rugby Test, Wallabies v Samoa, on Saturday 7 September, and international rugby league in the form of the Downer Rugby League World Cup 9s on 18-19 October. Rugby’s HSBC Sydney 7s tournament was staged at Bankwest Stadium on 1-2 February.
The Stadium has also hosted historic first concerts featuring Australian rock legends Cold Chisel and Hoodoo Gurus on Friday 24 January and global superstar Elton John on Saturday 7 March. Both events drew capacity crowds.
Bankwest Stadium is a dedicated 30,000-seat Stadium that brings fans closer to the action than ever before and hosts a range of sporting events, concerts, special events, functions and meetings.
Bankwest Stadium is owned by Venues NSW on behalf of the NSW Government and operated by VenuesLive, a leading Australian-based provider of management and hospitality services to venues and events.
The Stadium was designed and constructed by Lendlease in conjunction with architect Populous and engineering company Aurecon and, was delivered by Infrastructure NSW.
- With the major sporting codes having suspended their respective seasons in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bankwest Stadium is not hosting sport and entertainment events until further notice. In the interests of public health, Bankwest Stadium is also closed for meetings, special events and public tours until further notice.
Bankwest Stadium’s List of Awards
Silver Medal – Stadium Database Stadium of the Year Awards 2019;
Joint winner – BOOMTOWN! Property & Infrastructure 2019 Project of the Year;
Outstanding Sports & Major Events Project for 2019 – BOOMTOWN! Property & Infrastructure Awards;
Australia’s Best Rectangular Stadium – Austadiums Stadium Of The Year Awards 2019;
National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Excellence Award – Stowe Australia for Bankwest Stadium
