Page 51 of 82. North Melbourne Recreation Reserve Building Redevelopment Design Brief Functional and Technical Page 10 / 39

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1 Page 51 of 82 In 1882, the Hotham Cricket Ground, as it (the NMRR) was then known, became the joint home ground of the Hotham Football Club and the Hotham Cricket Club, the clubs having amalgamated to effect improvements to the ground. The first game of Australian Rules football ever played at the ground took place on 29 April 1882, when Hotham defeated Royal Park. In 1885, the ground became permanently reserved to the Crown. The clubs regained their original names when, on 23 March 1888, seven months after the Town of Hotham became the Town of North Melbourne. The late 1890s saw some tension over the sharing of the ground by the football and cricket clubs, a common occurrence at most grounds. The use of the cricket pavilion by a visiting football team caused a dispute which ended up in court, with the ruling that since the ground was on Crown land, it was illegal to fence off any part of it for the benefit of either party. In 1896, when eight VFA teams branched off to form the rival VFL, the North Melbourne Football Club was not included in the new league. In 1906, one year prior to North Melbourne s second attempt to join the VFL, the ground s first grandstand was built on the Fogarty Street side of the ground, adjacent to the west end of the present stand, at a reputed cost of 850. Remnants of this stand, the concrete players race and the base of one of the external staircases, remain in the terraced area. The players race still connects the players dressing rooms in the (former) Football Club administration building with the oval. The pavilion was demolished to make way for the 1928 stand. By mid-1909, the control of the Recreation Reserve had shifted to the Parks and Gardens Committee of the Melbourne City Council. The following year, plans for a new grandstand, to cost 1,000, had been drawn up by the Council s Parks and Gardens committee s Councillor J H Gardiner. However, despite the popularity of the club, it was deemed that too few finals games were scheduled for the ground to warrant the construction of another stand. In 1921, North Melbourne amalgamated with Essendon in order to try again at admission to the VFL, a move which led to the temporary expulsion of North Melbourne from the VFA. The Essendon Football Club had previously played at the East Melbourne ground at Jolimont, but this site had been acquired by Victorian Railways, making the ground unavailable for use. However, the terms of the Crown grant allowed the use of the ground only for North Melbourne s citizens, not Essendon s. This prompted Essendon being granted its own ground in Napier Street, Essendon, and the re-formed North Melbourne s return, the following season, to Arden Street. In 1922, management of the ground was transferred from the Melbourne City Council to the North Melbourne Football and Cricket Clubs. Improvements to the ground that year, made in an attempt to increase revenue, included the installation of hot showers in the change rooms. In early 1925, North Melbourne was finally admitted to the VFL, with Hawthorn and Footscray, one of the last three clubs to join. The invitation to join the VFL came at a time when local support for the club was at an all-time high, although, ironically, the club s first decade in the League brought little success on the field; North Melbourne s first finals appearance not occurring until l945. The move to the VFL, however, in part prompted further upgrading of facilities. Almost symbolic of the club s new status as a member of the VFL was the construction of the present brick grandstand in 1928, with seating for 2,000 Design Brief Functional and Technical Page 10 / 39

2 Page 52 of 82 spectators. Located to the south-east of the existing 1906 stand, it was built on the site of the small timber pavilion, which was demolished, and another even smaller structure to the south-east which was apparently re-located elsewhere. Until the late 1960s, these two grandstands were the only major structures associated with the Recreation Reserve. Just as the construction of the 1928 grandstand followed the club s admission to the VFL, the construction of the new administration building and Social Club followed the club s return to Arden Street after one season spent at Coburg City Oval. Historical photographs show a number of other smaller structures on the site. An undated aerial photograph of the ground, probably from c.1970, shows the social club and administration buildings, the 1928 grandstand, and small shelters behind the eastern goals and on the Macaulay Street boundary. These shelters have now been demolished. The North Melbourne Football Club continued to use the site as its home ground until 1985, when the club began using the Melbourne Cricket Ground for its home matches. The mezzanine floor continued to be used by both the football and cricket clubs, with one area forming a small office space for the cricket club. Since 1991, the grandstand seating area has been fenced of due to the deterioration of the timber fabric. In recent years the site has largely been comprised of open space designated for use of the public oval and the public outdoor pool, however the lack of public amenities in support of more frequent and structured use of the oval has made it less attractive to the local community. Existing Site Conditions Characteristics of key existing site features include the following; Oval - the natural grass covered sports field is maintained by NMFC and the City of Melbourne to a standard accepted to be that required for a training venue by an elite sports club. The oval has an in-ground automatic irrigation system and a Cricket turf wicket table prepared prior to the commencement of each cricket season. At approx. 173m length and 127m width the oval is considered adequate for an AFL team, but could not sustain the team training requirements should the dimensions be reduced. Pools the concrete pools are connected by a single grade concrete concourse that has excellent solar orientation and moderate screening to its surrounds that provides a pleasing outdoor pool environment. The adjoining pool plant room structure accommodates the plant used to treat and maintain water quality. Major sewer branch drain - located to the east of the site between the oval and pools, it remains as originally constructed over 100 years ago in brick and is approx. 2.1m in diameter. The relevant authority prohibits building development over their existing asset and requires appropriate setback of new structures to maintain the structural integrity of the drain. Grandstand generally considered to be in poor dilapidated condition studies undertaken for the City of Melbourne have determined refurbishment and remedial works costs to reinstate its full function and achieve all necessary building code compliances to be in the order of $2.8 million. Grassed earth embankments surrounding the Oval remnants of the former terraces used by spectators attending VFL matches until 1985 when North Melbourne ceased to host home matches at the ground. The bitumen and concrete Design Brief Functional and Technical Page 11 / 39

3 Page 53 of 82 terraces were stripped to create grassed mounds and have the site made an open reserve. The imported fill used to form the original terraces considered likely to contain contaminates and will be subject to an environmental site assessment for confirmation. Two existing buildings off Fogarty Street accommodating the present NMFC football operations including players, coaches and training facilities, gymnasium and retail shop (includes former NMFC Social Club building). Both buildings are proposed to be demolished and removed following relocation of NMFC into the new facility to allow landscape redevelopment. Extensive collection of Club artefacts and memorabilia to be salvaged prior to demolition NMFC Premiership Monument located at the entry to the present NMFC football operations building off Fogarty Street. Incorporates several thousand names of Club members and supporters associated with the club at the time of the 1996 premiership. Considered by the Club to be of significance and requiring relocation to the redevelopment site. On site car parking to the South-west corner of the site (location of the former Betting Shed) utilised by Club personnel (admin and coaching staff, players, trainers, etc.) and the local Community (local business employees). Parking for approximately 45 cars is provided on the open paved area that is unreserved and unmarked for car parking. Project Site Options Following a meeting of the PWG, a Site Options report was prepared to summarise the site factors and influences considered to be relevant to the selection of the project development site. Of four potential building redevelopment sites, two sites presented clear advantages and were assessed for their respective benefit and affordability to achieve the Community and NMFC project aims. Subsequently the PCG has resolved to adopt Site Option 2 as it s preferred redevelopment site. See Appendix B Site Options Report. Site Contamination/Geotechnical Information Details to be advised survey yet to be completed Tenants 2.4. Users North Melbourne Football Club, Facility Management group to deliver recreation services and programmes to the community on behalf of the City of Melbourne. North Melbourne Football Club Players, Administration and Football Department staff and guests, Members, Coterie Groups, Sponsors, Supporters, and Past Players Association. Community recreation, leisure and health programmes, and sports competition & training in Sports Hall such as Gymbaroo (pre-school gymnastics), school holiday activity programmes, local sports competitions. Design Brief Functional and Technical Page 12 / 39

4 Page 54 of 82 Community sports competition & training programmes on the Oval such as Auskick, local cricket & football (junior, senior & social), Health & fitness club members of the Gymnasium / Pools. Casual visitors to the outdoor Pools and Sports Hall. North Melbourne Cricket Club training and match day facilities for players and officials. Local school groups to use Sports Hall, Oval and the Pools. Local Community use of the Meeting Rooms. Café customers Operational Characteristics Usage rights and expectations for all areas of the building for all parties are to be defined by the Project Business Plan. In addition, the tenants rights, responsibilities and limitations will be the subject, in part, of the lease agreement and any further documentation such as sub-lease or license agreements. NMFC usage patterns Administration Office accommodation and supporting amenities for both Club Business Administration and Football Department personnel (approximately 35 & 20 people respectively). Limited increase in the number of personnel as needed for seasonal demand (for example, membership renewal in November). Typical use; Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 6.00pm; 52 weeks. Meeting Meeting room facilities of varying capacities for internal & external club meetings. Typical use; NMFC seeking priority use Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 6.00pm; 52 weeks. Evening use by booking as scheduled by Centre Management. Training Amenities Player facilities (lockers/change) and medical treatment/physical recovery accommodation supporting the on-field training sessions and game-day recovery. Typical use; Monday to Friday, 7.00am to 6.00pm; premiership season & pre-season training (times and days subject to AFL fixture). Gymnasium Weights, stretching, and cardio exercise programme facilities. Requires Olympic standard weights equipment and power-weights specifically targeted to AFL player physical development. Typical use; Monday to Friday, 4 x 4hr. full squad sessions per week (44 players) typically between 10.00am and 3.00pm, and Small group (3 to 4 players) or individual sessions Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 6.00pm; premiership season & preseason training (times and days subject to AFL fixture). Design Brief Functional and Technical Page 13 / 39

5 Page 55 of 82 Sports Hall Multi-purpose indoor sports hall. Typical use; use by booking as scheduled by Centre Management - Monday to Friday, 7.00am to 6.00pm. Oval Use On-field training. Typical use; Monday to Friday, 2 to 3 full squad sessions per week, and skills sessions, 7.00am to 6.00pm; premiership season (times and days subject to AFL fixture). Cricket requirements for the Oval during the cricket season are negotiated with oval used for cricket games as scheduled. Membership & Retail Point of contact & merchandise sale, member services enquiries and retail display. Typical use; Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 6.00pm, & Saturday 9.00am to 12 noon; 52 weeks. Parking NMFC seeking unreserved club only parking for players, trainers and admin. personnel during training sessions and typical administration hours. Community usage patterns Sports Hall Details to be advised. Gymnasium Details to be advised. Oval Use Details to be advised. Cafe Details to be advised. Meeting Details to be advised Design Philosophy Building Contemporary Architecture with a considered approach to achieving: Quality civic presence, Ecological sustainability, Balance of distinctive imagery/identity and contextual referencing, Urban design reinforcing Arden Street and the Oval, Functional efficiency and clarity, Landscaping Design Brief Functional and Technical Page 14 / 39

6 Page 56 of 82 Primarily the overall site is the responsibility of the City of Melbourne Landscape Advisory Committee and is excluded from this project scope. A landscape advisory group has been established to consider the future presentation of the entire reserve. A diverse range of potential landscape, recreation and leisure initiatives are the subject of the long term site master plan by the City of Melbourne, however, the design and implementation of the immediate landscape surrounds for the building redevelopment are to be included in the project. Conceived jointly with the Building Design, the surrounding landscape design is to achieve a spatial unison with edges of the indoor & outdoor environment blurred so as to have the building engage with the street, the oval and outdoor pool facility Design Criteria Affordability Without compromising the quality of the NMRR Building Redevelopment, the design must be achievable within the budget constraints set by the PCG. Design Life Subject to the provision of periodic maintenance where reasonable steps are taken to clean and service the buildings plant and equipment, interior and exterior finishes and operable parts; The design life of the structure shall be in excess of 50 years. The design life of plant & equipment for building service systems shall typically be 15 years, other than Sanitary at 20 years. Connections to utilities shall be designed for a life no less than 50 years to anthe authority standard. The roof cladding, façade, and secondary structural elements shall be sufficiently durable to have an in-service life exceeding 30 years and shall prevent the ingress of water (when subjected to average long term weather events). The quality of applied external paint surfaces and facade finishes shall be such that a 15 year life is achieved. Sporting Codes Design Criteria For sporting activities that are typically accommodated within an indoor sports hall, separate guidelines exist in Australia for Basketball, Badminton, Netball, Volleyball, Indoor Soccer, Indoor Hockey, Handball, and Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics. Minimum requirements for each sport specify details such as the following; Court and activity dimensions, run-off dimensions, and vertical clearances, Court and activity surfaces, slip resistance, rebound and/or sprung floors, line markings, Associated equipment specifications for nets, goals, gymnastic apparatus, protective padding, etc. Storage requirements. Future Expansion The design is to consider the future expansion needs of the club whilst respecting the community sensitivity to maximise green open space in NMRR and minimising Design Brief Functional and Technical Page 15 / 39

7 Page 57 of 82 the building footprint (City of Melbourne seeking assumption that the building footprint cannot be extended). Staff and staff accommodation expansion since 2000 for five other AFL clubs inspected during the briefing process has been observed to be on average a 25% increase for both Administration and Football Dept. personnel. Community facility expansion opportunity for redevelopment of the NM Pool facilities. Urban Design Goals An active building frontage to Arden Street that will reinforce the street edge. A clearly defined point of entry that achieves a sense of arrival. Parking NMFC seeking a combination of off-street and on-street unreserved club only parking for players, trainers and administration personnel during training sessions and typical administration hours relatively adjacent to the redevelopment site. Access & Traffic Primary and secondary entry points to be easily of accessed by vehicle and foot traffic from Arden Street highly visible, safe and secure access approaches. Circulation A logical sequence of spaces and connecting passageways that defines and makes sense of the building s functional zones such as: Ticketed / un-ticketed, Wet / dry activities, Secured NMFC / Community members (& casuals) / general public. Maintainability / Cost Effectiveness The design must consider the operational and maintenance costs impacts when selecting: Plant, equipment, finishes, fixtures, fittings and materials, Utilities connections and energy use, New technologies and information systems, Waste management and disposal (consideration to utilising the existing NM Pool service yard). Placement and orientation of facilities. The building and the surrounding areas within the project boundary must be designed for ease and cost-effectiveness of maintenance. It must achieve a simple layout to enable the building to be easily managed, maintained and secured by minimum staffing. Finishes must be selected that are durable and easily cleaned and services must be located and designed such that they are accessible and costeffective to maintain. The selection of items noted above shall be based on the following criteria: Public and user safety Performance and serviceability Design Brief Functional and Technical Page 16 / 39

8 Page 58 of 82 Capital cost Running cost Impact on recurrent cost Lifecycle cost/ maintenance Where alternatives that meet the functional requirements are proposed, the selection of a particular item shall be based on a cost-benefit analysis provided to the PWG for consideration based on the criteria above. Operational / Functionality Operational expenditure in both administration and maintenance of a facility is dependent primarily on a design that optimises efficiency of management, provides programming flexibility, facilitates the economies of maintenance and optimises the use of materials, detail plant, equipment and services with respect to realistic goals for the objective life span of the facility in use. This will demand an approach that maximises the sharing of common facilities, administration, management and maintenance. It will require the centralising of resource facilities such as supply storage, maintenance equipment, catering, waste disposal, cleaning, receipt and dispatch, food services, concessions and control of public use. Building and Site Security Controlled access to all secured areas (NMFC and Community facilities) with preprogrammed entry provisions and remote entry control. Door locking (opening) control systems for on-site personnel to secured areas integrated ID proximity card systems (in lieu of door keys) that are reprogrammed for lost or expired cards (provision subject to budget constraints). Alternatively, individually programmed pin-code door hardware. CCTV camera surveillance of circulation and shared facilities user behaviour to be monitored at reception. Data logging for referral to authorities if any incidents are subject to Police or separate authority enquiries. Intruder detection (to be advised ). Reception and community change room duress alarms. Signage NMFC commercial naming rights, and club sponsor & club branding to realise and further develop commercial opportunities to be developed through co-ordination with NMFC (Subject to lease conditions, Melbourne Planning Scheme & other relevant statutory requirements). Naming rights and advertising signage will be provided by NMFC. There is a requirement to integrate advertising and naming signage within the building design. Consideration of how & where to incorporate flags and banners into the buildings exterior to allow signage to be dynamic and updated as required. Directional and statutory signage and line-marking is to be provided throughout the site, i.e., externally and internally. All statutory signage and line-marking is to be provided in accordance with relevant codes and standards. Artwork / Artefacts / Memorabilia Primary ground floor passage to have permanent Club & Community Gallery celebrating the history of North Melbourne and its football team. Design Brief Functional and Technical Page 17 / 39

9 Page 59 of 82 Graphic panels to reflect and reinforce present day club culture. NMFC history - display of artefacts and images reflecting club history, with representations of club culture past & present (players, trainers, administrators, members, supporters and the Arden Street ground). Artefacts and images to include premiership flags & cups, medals, trophies, prints, photos, framed jumpers, and honour boards. To be situated throughout the building with varying levels of access (ie. higher valued items in more exclusive NMFC areas). Displayed in a well considered, focused formats (eg. fixed glass display cases, wall mountings and rebates with display lighting) with flexibility for periodic change over of items. Community history - display of artefacts and images, reflecting the people and events of local history (including the Cricket Club). Public Art NMFC seeking to develop fixed external monument to mark the contribution of former greats of the club. Accessibility The Building must be accessible to a wide range of users, including those with disabilities. People with disabilities may be participants and spectators and/or employees. The Building must be designed and constructed to meet the spirit and intent of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and Australian Standards AS1428 parts 1 to 4 inclusive. Provision for persons with disabilities shall not be less than as described in the Building Code of Australia. Directional signage to disabled persons car parking areas should be clear and well indicated. Adequate disabled persons car parks should be provided in close proximity to a main Building entry. Paths of public transport access and stops should be well paved and lit. Provision is to be made for disabled access with particular emphasis on: Path of travel from parking and public transport to facility entrances, Directional signage, Fixed fittings and fixtures such as public telephones, drinking fountains, etc. Outdoor furniture positioning and design, Door opening widths and mechanisms, Type of doors, Ramps must consider widths, location, circulation space, gradient and possible use for emergency exits, etc., Stairwells must have satisfactory handrails, signage and lighting, Lifts must have satisfactory control panel heights, door timing and lighting levels and sized to accommodate a wheelchair and an attendant, and provide goods lift function (increased load limit, protective wall panel covers, etc.). Size, position, number, design and mix of change rooms and toilets should comply with relevant codes and standards, Good viewing positions shall be available for disabled spectators. ESD Initiatives The Building is to be an environmentally conscious facility, promoting sustainable design. This is to be achieved by investigating and implementing ESD options in Design Brief Functional and Technical Page 18 / 39

10 Page 60 of 82 relation to energy efficiencies, water conservation, smart material selection, recycling, management and education. Emphasis should be put on imbedded design, encouraging appropriate material selection and considering opportunities for demonstrations of emerging technologies, where appropriate. Services Services currently on site will require disconnection and, in some cases, relocation prior to the construction of the new Building. Other existing services will require upgrading prior to and/or during construction. The existing buildings (of the NM Pool, & NMFC in Fogarty Street) and external lighting are to have services maintained until these facilities can be relocated (reestablished) into (around) the new Building. Temporary services are also to be made available for contractors during construction. The temporary services running costs are to be arranged by and paid for by the contractors. Provisions must be provided for permanent services. Existing Brick Sewer drain has a Works exclusion zone off-set nominally 9.0m to each side of the drain for it s full length to maintain the drains structural integrity. Proposed works adjacent to the exclusion zone will be subject to a review and approval process with the relevant authority 2.8. Authority Requirements Town Planning Building Redevelopment approval will be subject to the Planning Permit process and requires application to the relevant planning authority (City of Melbourne). The application process will include full public disclosure of the proposal and public consultation as required by the planning authority. Building Act The proposed redevelopment may be certified by a qualified and independent Building Surveyor, pursuant to Section 217 of the Building Act The building works must comply with all relevant statutory building regulatory controls, except where the requirement for Crown or public authorities is explicitly exempt. Building Regulations 1994 The building works must comply with, but not be limited to the provisions of the Building Regulations 1994 and by adoption, the Building Code of Australia. The works need not comply where the requirement for the Crown or public authorities is exempt Building Certification All plans, drawings and works specifications pertaining to building work must be checked and approved by an independent Building Surveyor to comply with the relevant regulations, codes and relevant Australian Standards adopted by reference in the Building Code of Australia. The independent Building Surveyor must carry out site inspections for mandatory notification stages throughout the course of the building works. An Occupancy Permit must be obtained on completion of building work, stating that the building is suitable for occupation. Design Brief Functional and Technical Page 19 / 39