Fully-electric, community-centric and with cross pollination at its core, the new Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre (NARC) unveils an aspirational new benchmark for swimming and community facilities.
Project Name: Northcote Aquatic And Recreation Centre Sets Pace For Future Community Leisure Hubs
Studio Name: Warren And Mahoney
Text Credits: Warren and Mahoney
The state-of-the-art 8,100m2 centre includes an indoor learn-to-swim pool, 25m lap pool, kids splash park, adult bathing area with sauna and steam rooms, a café, separate spaces for group exercise, and a 50m outdoor pool set amongst native plantings and a grove of long-standing gumtrees.
“The community’s previous Aquatic Centre was a much-loved hub for activity and socialising in Northcote, but could no longer meet the needs of locals,” says Warren and Mahoney, Associate Principal and Project Architect, Brett Diprose.
“The hype had been steadily building with locals to re-engage with sport and friends. So, we’re incredibly proud to be able to design and deliver a world-class facility for Darebin City Council and its constituents.”
SETTING SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS
Responding to the City of Darebin’s declared state of climate emergency, NARC was designed from the outset to perform as a 6-Star Green Star facility.
This has predominantly been achieved by completely removing the traditional reliance on gas and replacing with electrical energy sources, including heat pumps that harness the sun, providing renewable energy during the day. A Renewable Power Purchasing Agreement (PPA) provides renewably-sourced power during the evening.
By taking a more sustainable long-term approach to a community facility through the efficient envelope, a focused approach to water quality and reduction of energy demand, we have also reduced demand on council funds. We are effectively subsidising a facility by using solar photovoltaics panels on roofs, and energy reduction strategies around pool heating that will also reduce operational costs.
As part of the design process, Warren and Mahoney and Arup Façade Engineers and ESD Consultants undertook extensive life cycle analyses and daylight assessments, testing and reducing glare and optimising insulation measures to ensure the building also works as efficiently as possible
The facility incorporates low-carbon materials, including the use of 300 cubic metres of mass timber for the structure of the main swimming hall and its striking timber ceiling. The building has the ability for carbon neutral operation.
“Everything has been considered with a forward-thinking’ approach – particularly when it comes down to the sustainability and community aspects. Even down to elements like the ‘ultrafine’ Neptune Benson water filtration system design by MLEI which is state-of-the-art – taking up less room and using less power than standard sand-filter systems,” adds Diprose.
“During our project consultation with Wurundjeri elders, we came to learn of how the sacred kingfisher will select their home; they will only create a nest in a place where there is ecological balance. And that is what the design and operations of this facility aims to deliver.”
“The commitment to the ecological balance is symbolically marked with the large kingfisher on the external façade of the building using materials from Krause Bricks, Kingspan, Rubner, Waterplay / Parkequip and KLAY.
“We’re looking forward to reviewing the performance metrics of NARC over the coming weeks and months as we’ll soon be able to quantify just how energy efficient the facility is. We believe it will set the standard for sustainability and the blueprint for future aquatic centres in Australia.”
INCLUSIVE AT HEART
In addition to the centre’s exemplary leisure facilities and sustainability credentials, NARC is about inclusion.
Prior to design commencing, extensive consultation with both Wurundjeri and different facets of the broader community took place.
“With some of this happening through peak Covid era, consultation involved both face-to-face meetings and even more extensive online outreach, which actually enabled us to speak to more people than those often readily available for consultation,” says Diprose.
“It is our hope that regardless of age, ability or ethnicity – there is something for everyone within the community at the Northcote Aquatic Recreation Centre.
“Accessibility and balance are ideas that sit at the heart of this design and have been executed brilliantly by our construction partners, KANE.
“Change facilities are welcoming to a wide range cross section of the community. “The facility itself it designed with inclusivity at its core. Throughout the centre there are considered spaces for people of all ages and all abilities, from the pools, gym, café to the changing areas, which incorporate a dedicated Changing Places facility,” he adds.
“There are family change rooms, specific gendered facilities and also gender-neutral areas that provide both excellent privacy but also greater practical integration – for example, a family can find privacy to change but doesn’t have to split into two entirely different change spaces by gender – as is often the case.”
“The facility is designed to have the ability to adapt to a changing and growing community that will continue to change over the lifetime of the centre.”
PROMOTING COMMUNITY
The breadth of facilities, the layout – including a specific adult-only bathing area, expansive foyer café and sprawling grounds surrounding the outdoor pool – enables this centre to truly act as a community hub.
“We love that NARC is a place for all generations to not just swim, but a place to socialise, a place to exercise, and a place to hang out. A lot of consideration has gone into the different ways the centre can be experienced indoors and outdoors,” adds Diprose.
“You feel this as soon you enter the centre and are greeted by the large and open café area that promotes socialising and spending time at NARC before or after your activities. The Allied Health offering is also quite unique.
“The facility offers a range of spaces for gym equipment, exercise classes, spin classes, a child safe program space with a secure dedicated landscape environment and spaces for community groups to meet.
There’s a much greater sense of a thriving community hub than traditional aquatic centres have provided. There’s a commitment to celebrating the joy of physical movement and of bringing people together to connect.
External landscaping, delivered by Normark Landscapes and designed by Arcadia Landscape Architecture, is meticulously delivered and provides a park-like setting for days by the pool.
The undulating gardens come right up to the windows of the indoor pools to bring the outdoors in, reducing the overall size of the building within its residential context.
“These gardens are still growing in but, coupled with the giant gum trees already established on site, provide a uniquely lush setting for an aquatic experience,” he adds.
Internally, the selected materials offer a cool, light-colour palette to create a relaxing environment – the adult-only pool personifies this.
“Meanwhile, the children’s splash park features playful platypus motifs, within a stylised riparian environment to create a brightly coloured playground to promote fun and movement. There’s also an outdoor splash space for the kids in and amongst native plantings and adjacent to an Indigenous conversation pit.
DELIVERING FOR DAREBIN
Mayor of Darebin, Cr Julie Williams, said the opening of Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre aligns with Council’s commitment to expand opportunities for participation and social connection through sport, physical activity, and other leisure activities.
“NARC is designed for the whole community. It’s a fully accessible facility with ramps into all pools and a lift to the first floor. The facility will also include change rooms with dedicated spaces for accessibility,” Cr Williams said.
“The facility is targeting a 6 Star Green Star rating, demonstrating Council’s commitment to – and leadership in -climate action, and in delivering innovative environmentally sustainable projects.
“In addition to the state-of-the-art facility, we have a great community partnerships-focused operator in Clublinks, which will be delivering inclusive activities and programmes that will be a core component of this new facility.
“I can’t wait to see the Darebin community enjoying this fantastic facility this summer and well into the future,” Cr Williams said.
THE DESIGN TEAM
NARC was designed by Warren and Mahoney and constructed by KANE, with Arcadia Landscape Architecture informing the outdoor experience, which has been landscaped to completion by Normark Landscapes.
The sprawling facility will now be managed by Clublinks for the City of Darebin.
All supplier partners have gone above and beyond for this project, including KLAY for the façade, Krause Bricks, Ceramic Solutions for the tiling, Kingspan for cladding, Sculptform for internal battens, Autex for internal acoustic wall and ceiling panelling and Rubner Timber via Theca Australia for the supply of the Spruce Primary Timber members and Ceiling cassettes.
“For the fun stuff, we also owe a huge thank you to Parkequip for the splash park and Techogym for the gymnasium facilities,” adds Diprose.
WARREN AND MAHONEY – AQUATIC ARCHITECTURE
As a practice, Warren and Mahoney operates at the intersection of technology, sustainability and culture across a wide range of disciplines.
Warren and Mahoney has extensive experience in the sport and leisure space. Designing stadiums, surf life-saving clubs, gymnasiums and aquatics centres is work we really enjoy.
The practice is currently working on a number of aquatic centres across Australia – and has completed similar projects in New Zealand.
