Project Team

design & construct builder: New England Constructions
architect & interior design: Nicholas Associates Architects
interior design, lighting and furniture: Split Watermelon

Suppliers

tiles and stone: Earp Brothers, Ocean & Merchant
carpet: Brintons
wallpaper: Unique Fabrics
lighting: Yellow Goat, Cosmoluce, Thorn, Inlite, Masson, EO Lighting, Gamma Illumination, Lumascape

Just as any business sets out to distinguish itself from competitors, the Collegians Rugby League Football Club is trying to differentiate their product, not only on price and service delivery, but also through fresh design statements consistent with the demographics of the club. But trendsetting club design is more than theatre; it’s a sales and marketing tool which is paying off for Collegians.

As one of the leading clubs in the Illawarra area, brand differentiation was identified early as a key imperative to the Collegians Club’s growth. As more club members demand authentic and unique entertainment and leisure experiences, design expectations are being challenged and redefined. By adopting a contemporary mix of style and design they’ve created a one-of-a-kind look that invites members to experience and explore. No two spaces are exactly the same; members can return again and again and still discover something new – which is exactly the point.

With a budget of $2 million, a brief to accommodate additional outdoor areas while maintaining a comfortable environment, protected from the elements and compliant with applicable legislation, the club’s extended outdoor areas have pushed the boundary of outside living with its stylish interiors literally brought outdoors.

With a widespread understanding of how important it is to retain customers in today’s competitive environment, the idea behind the Collegians Club’s custom designed outdoor areas is simple: To provide comfortable, attractive, secure outdoor smoking and entertainment areas that meet the expectations of the membership. However, the project wasn’t without its challenges. In fact, the project was technically challenged and complex in almost every aspect across design, compliance, program, and construction staging and which included the removal of major structural columns to facilitate improved room layout and circulation as an example.

The first outdoor area targeted was the gaming terrace, which was expanded from 40 machines to a capacity of up to 100 machines. Transformed from a dimly lit space with dark and earthy tones to a bright and fresh space with a mix of lavish finishes including striking marble treatments, organically-inspired carpet, lush wall paper, and designer light fittings, the design and ambience of the terrace was driven by the Collegians Club’s CEO, Michael Wilkins.

The design intent was to create an environment where patrons could feel fully at ease with their surroundings despite being in close proximity to a hive of activity… that is, the gaming terrace is sandwiched between the club’s building and car park area as well as the busy Princes Highway. Central to the expansion is a 20-metre long water feature and garden wall which wraps around and comfortably cradles the terrace. The water feature is located at the foot of six-metre high walls which provide necessary weather protection from prevailing southerlies which can be extremely intense, while the falling water provides soothing background noise which masks the noise of the highway and the greenery of the garden wall provides a sense of visual tranquillity.

Working towards a tight deadline of handing over the bulk of the terrace by Melbourne Cup Day 2011, the construction staging of the project was intricately multifaceted, with excavation, demolition, and construction carried out at times within centimetres of a fully operational indoor and outdoor gaming facility. Work health and safety was monitored very closely throughout the project, and construction noise was minimised and shielded where possible or carried out outside of regular trading hours.

Because the club is located on the fringe of the Wollongong retail precinct and in close proximity to extensive medium density housing developments that don’t have extensive private outdoor balconies of verandas, the management team at the Collegians Club considered the significant younger demographic that occupy these nearby housing developments as a potential growth market. As a result, on the opposite side of the Collegians Club, another outdoor social terrace received some significant refurbishment treatment, increasing the total area from 260m2 to 380m2 as a means of providing an outdoor area as a channel to attract the younger demographic.

The design of the social terrace was influenced by the concept of indoor-outdoor living and via the creation of both private and communal spaces – which was largely achieved by the choice of furniture and transitions in floor finishes help to create more private zones. The social terrace is dominated by an impressive timber pergola to its rear with individual seating ‘pods’ to allow groups of people to adapt the area to the needs of their social group. Elsewhere, the space also offers a large communal timber table and L-shaped woven lounge housed in an ‘outdoor room’ with a central floating stone fireplace feature to create a sense of warmth and intimacy. Tropical resort style design also played a major influence achieved with the finishes – timber shutters and beams, mosaic tile details, and large woven furniture pieces.

Coop Pendant

Classic shapes woven in painted natural reed. These pieces are lit by a cluster of spherical CFL globes and are available in various sizes.These are hand made and each one will be slightly different. Please note that this is a natural product and as such colour can vary.

Yellow Goat