Peddle Thorp and the Origins of Melbourne Park: The Vision That Set a Benchmark
Peddle Thorp helped shape Melbourne Park’s earliest vision, creating a flexible sports precinct that still anchors the city’s major events.
When Melbourne set out in the 1980s to secure its future as a major events capital, the city needed more than incremental upgrades. It needed a precinct capable of guaranteeing the Australian Open’s long-term home, attracting international performers and delivering sustained economic and cultural value. This ambition became the catalyst for the creation of Melbourne Park.
A Vision That Required Architectural Ambition
The brief demanded a venue that could shift seamlessly between elite sport and large-format entertainment. The schedule was extremely tight. The complex had to be completed only weeks before the 1988 Australian Open.
The resulting National Tennis Centre introduced a level of adaptability and technical capability that set new expectations for stadium design in Australia.
1988: The First Serve of a New Era
The opening year demonstrated the significance of the achievement.
The arena introduced a 700-tonne retractable roof, the first of its kind in a venue of this scale. Grand Slam matches were played at night for the first time. A new synthetic surface enabled all-weather reliability and year-round operational viability. The design received First Prize in the Royal Australian Institute of Architects’ New Institutional category. Attendance increased from 140,000 in 1987 to 245,000 in 1988.
Within weeks of the Australian Open, the venue hosted AC/DC and then Pink Floyd, confirming its immediate capability as a major performance space.
1990s: Expansion Driven by Demand
Success accelerated the precinct’s growth. Additional courts, expanded public spaces and an increased footprint signalled Melbourne Park’s transition from a tennis centre into a multi-event destination. The precinct hosted basketball, beach volleyball, concerts and community events, demonstrating the value of the flexibility embedded in the original masterplan.
2000s and Beyond: A Mature Global Precinct
The precinct continued to evolve as expectations increased. Rod Laver Arena demonstrated advanced versatility by converting into a cycling velodrome. A new multi-purpose venue, now known as John Cain Arena, strengthened the site’s capacity for sport and entertainment.
The 2007 FINA World Swimming Championships required an Olympic-size pool to be suspended above the arena floor, showcasing the technical sophistication the precinct had developed.
By the 2010s, Melbourne Park ranked among the world’s highest-performing entertainment venues, attracting record-breaking concert series and expanding its international profile.
Peddle Thorp’s Ongoing Contribution to Sports Architecture
The design principles established during the original Melbourne Park masterplan continue to guide Peddle Thorp’s approach to contemporary sports and event facilities. Flexibility, long-term operational efficiency and a user-focused planning strategy remain central to the practice’s work.
Since the Melbourne Park project, the firm has delivered multi-purpose sports complexes, elite training centres, stadium upgrades, aquatic and recreation facilities and community sports hubs. These projects extend the same core values that shaped the early precinct and have contributed to Melbourne’s standing as a global sporting city.
More than three decades after the National Tennis Centre opened in 1988, Melbourne Park remains one of Melbourne’s most influential precincts. It continues to attract millions of visitors each year and evolve through targeted upgrades that respond to changing expectations. The foundational work created a framework capable of growing with the city and supporting its ongoing reputation in international sport and entertainment.
