The Heffron Centre: Design revealed
About the consultation
In April 2020, we asked the community about your aspirations for the Heffron Centre, and what you would like to see be included and how we can best integrate the Heffron Centre into the park. This is what we heard:
What we heard
- The design should reflect the local area, history and culture.
- Multi-purpose to ensure the facility can be used by the community for a range of social and recreation uses
- Community-focused, accessible, and family friendly.
- A café and areas for children to play and parents to congregate.
- Be sensitive to our neighbours.
- Incorporate sustainability, native landscaping and vegetation into the design.
About the design
The Heffron Centre was designed by award winning architect CO-OP Studio, shaped by community feedback, inspired by the culture and people of Randwick.
The design features:
- A contemporary and relaxed design using sandy colours, inspired by the sand dunes and coastal landscape.
- A low-rise, flat form design to create a seamless extension to the park.
- Designed to serve the community for the next 50 years and using materials to stand the test of time.
- Integrating sustainability into the design to capture and filter natural light, rainwater collection, solar panels.
- Positioned back from the road to be sensitive to our neighbours.
- Dune-like native landscaping and vegetation to blur the building into the park.
For more on the design, read the CO-OP Studio Design Update here.
The Heffron Centre experience
Inclusive and accessible for all ages and abilities, the Heffron Centre includes:
- An open plaza featuring a café, indoor and outdoor seating areas for the community to relax and socialise.
- Two multi-purpose indoor sports halls and storage with spectator seating.
- Separate change and bathroom facilities are proposed for gymnastics and the sport halls to ensure safety for children and guests.
- Community and High-Performance Centre home to the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Souths Cares headquarters, training and operational areas, lecture theatre and classroom, and merchandise shop.
- An internal “street” linking the Community and High-Performance centre, multi-purpose sports facility and gymnastic zones. This connects from the front to the back creating opportunity to showcase community history, awards and memories.
- Fan and visitor areas to view the NRL showcase training field.
Looking after our future
The Heffron Centre incorporates best practice environmentally sustainable design principles and systems to reduce the impact on our city.
- Architectural designed to capture and filter daylight and utilise natural ventilation.
- Rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) panels.
- Electric vehicle charging infrastructure and bicycle parking.
- Low-maintenance native plants and materials to regulate temperatures and reduce electricity.
- Use of rainwater and stormwater collection to reduce water usage.
Next steps
The Development Application’s will be lodged late August-early September and available for the public to view and comment during public exhibition in October 2020.
More questions?
View our frequently asked questions.
