Chadstone Bowls Club Canopy
Project Details
Location: Malvern East VIC
Completion Date: October 2023
Size: 2500 sqm
Fabric: PTFE - Chukoh FGT800
Client: ADCO / Stonnington City Council
Photography: © Al Morris
The story of the Chaddy Bowls Club and their inspiring battle for survival is as impressive as the bespoke Chadstone Bowls Club Canopy structure in the leafy Melbourne suburbs.
In 2017, when faced with the threat of eviction from their council-owned land and the subsequent closure of the historical club, the club members and their local community banded together. Through the power of community action and lobbying to the council, and helped by a now famous viral video, they successfully pleaded their case with the City of Stonnington, eventually securing a spot in the council’s masterplan development. When the brand new Stonnington Sports Centre opened in 2023, the $50M community facilities included a new home for the Chadstone Bowls Club.
The Brief
Inspired by the shape and design of the Moama Bowling Canopy, a successful prior project delivered by MakMax, the collaboration between William Ross Architects and MakMax in the early design phase resulted in the creation of a bespoke lawn bowls canopy. The Chadstone Bowls Club Canopy, based on our Tensosport-MAX Hawksbill tensile membrane roof design, incorporates several distinctive elements that set it apart.
Chadstone is the first lawn bowls canopy that MakMax has installed on a floating slab, with the bowling green and the canopy sitting above the newly constructed carpark. Designed to stop the late afternoon sun or wind-driven rain, the design also includes vertical infill panels on the open-arched ends (north and south), as well as a full 360-degree horizontal skirt awning around the perimeter.
The Concept
The Materials
Throughout the construction of the Stonnington Sports Centre, MakMax collaborated closely with the head contractor, ADCO, who were tasked with delivering the City of Stonnington’s masterplan for the Percy Treyvaud Memorial Park.
MakMax Australia’s scope of works encompassed the design and engineering of the footings, steel structure, and PTFE tensile membrane for the bowling green canopy. In coordination, ADCO constructed the raised platform over the car park and laid the foundation HD Bolts, preparing the groundwork for MakMax’s subsequent site deployment.
The choice of PTFE membrane for the Chadstone Bowls Club Canopy highlights the myriad advantages of this material for sporting roof applications. Its remarkable combination of weather resistance, durability, light transmission capabilities, formability, low maintenance requirements, and fire resistance solidifies PTFE’s standing as an exceptional solution for sports and stadium roofing applications.
The Result
The story of the Chadstone Bowls Club is a testament to the transformative power of perseverance and collaborative effort, solidifying its place in the rich tapestry of local history and inspiring generations to come. From the brink of eviction in 2017 to the splendid inauguration of the Chadstone Bowls Club Canopy within the newly established Stonnington Sports Centre, the Chadstone Bowls Club’s remarkable journey stands as a proof to the power of community resilience and unity.
MakMax Australia is incredibly proud of the outstanding bowling green canopy structure delivered as part of the Stonnington Sports Centre project, and inspired by this small lawn bowls club and their perseverance and unwavering spirit, we are also proud to continue our involvement the club as a one of their cornerstone sponsors.
