Brisbane 2032 – a catalyst for transformation2032 Brisbane Games – a stimulus for regional growth

Q: What are some of the insights you have gained from delivering these projects?

Jared: Probably the biggest one would be the value that it brings to that community. We see our governments spend a lot of money in capital cities, particularly on these sorts of sports and entertainment precincts. But when they do invest in the regions, those regions really appreciate that investment. And it gives them a sense of belonging.

It's a central facility for them as a community to go to and have that atmosphere and environment that you get in a facility like that. That's what I really enjoy about working on those facilities, because it brings that sense of belonging to people.

Q: How important is the 2032 Brisbane Games as a catalyst for regional infrastructure development?

Jared: It’s extremely important. We are a very geographically diverse population which means we need infrastructure, particularly transport infrastructure. The more we can bring that forward, the better it will be for the broader region. I think the Olympics and Paralympic Games really are a catalyst to fast forward some of that infrastructure in readiness for what will certainly be continued population growth in this part of the world.

It also encourages those communities to get excited about sports and events. A lot of our elite athletes come from regions. So, investment in those regions creates interest and passion and excitement in the sport for generations to come. For future athletes that may live in those regions, it provides a gateway for them to get into sport and potentially make a career out of it.

A lot of these facilities can also be used for things other than sport. You can host concerts, so having a facility that can accommodate things other than sports then can attract a touring concert, it creates interest in that region. That then has the knock-on effects of bringing tourism and money and folk from outside the region to see that part of the world. And it generally stimulates the economy and the people in those regions.

Q: What is one of the most important aspects of designing infrastructure for regional communities?

Jared: I think probably the biggest one would be involving the community in the design process. You can get a lot more value long-term by involving the community in an appropriate way in the design and procurement process. It might be as simple as tailoring a facade element to accommodate a local theme or designing for Country. But, it could be a lot more than that.

The community might say, we're really lacking in large flat floor space for dancing. So, can we incorporate that into the facility? By bringing the local community into that design and consultation process early in the phase, you can morph the facility to really get the best value out of it long-term for that community.

It is important to gather that feedback in a structured way; having the right governance and framework to manage that stakeholder and community engagement and rolling that feedback up and structuring it in a way that it becomes best for the majority.

Q: In reality, a lot of the Games venues will be in Southeast Queensland – is there a way to design them so they can be disassembled after the Games and re-used elsewhere?

Jared: Absolutely. Things like grandstands can be recycled and re-used and relocated to the regions. There are existing facilities that can be recycled. A lot of facilities can be temporary.

There's a lot of interest in this infrastructure internationally, so the opportunity to bring some bright thinking and fresh ideas and designing for a future that we know is going to be low carbon, circular economy, the timing is such that it's exciting that this project will be the catalyst for a lot of transformation in how we design and build things.

Q: Are you feeling optimistic?

Jared: The engineer in me is looking forward to the challenge. There is a lot that's going to be procured and built. And there's only so many resources in this part of the world that can do that, whether that's engineers or architects or builders.

And so, one of the biggest challenges will be how we get all this built. It’s not just the Olympics, there's all the other associated infrastructure, airport terminals, transport, that must be ready in ten, nine years’ time. So, one of the biggest challenges will be getting all that done and getting it done to the quality that we expect in this part of the world. I think that's a big challenge, but an exciting challenge.