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featured
Seam Bar Table , Seam Barstool , Seam Cafe Table , Seam Stacking Chair
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Sector
Public Space
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Designer
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Photography
Murray Fredericks
Tait’s Seam Barstool in Woodland Grey Textured Powdercoat, designed by Adam Cornish.
A brilliant new benchmark
As the original architects of the old Sydney Football Stadium, COX Architecture’s deft redevelopment of Allianz Stadium has enhanced the wider recreation and sporting precinct. Primarily hosting soccer, rugby league and rugby union matches, the new stadium is now better equipped to host sporting events, with new active spaces for patrons and the community.
A range of skilful architecture moves define the forward-focused redevelopment: a dynamic roof form, sensitive materiality and a sculptural façade. The façade features a veil of bronze fins, an environmentally responsive skin that varies in density and porosity to reveal and moderate connections through the site.
Tait’s Seam Bar Table and Barstool in Woodland Grey Textured Powdercoat, designed by Adam Cornish.
A ‘stadium in the park’
‘Having that connection outdoors was one of the main project drivers,’ says Ingrid Kelly, Associate Director at COX. ‘There are views throughout the stadium that connect the park and the surrounds right through into the field. In that respect, all the terraces in the outdoor areas play a pivotal role.’
‘A lot of the Tait products were chosen for external use,’ she continues. ‘And one of the main reasons for that was that the stadium overarching concept was about being a stadium in the park. So we were looking for the kind of outdoor furniture that lends itself to a residential feel, as well as a park setting, and outdoor setting, as well as being practical for a stadium.’
The four terraces within the stadium were intended to have different ‘feels’: relaxed and greenery-focused in the two park-facing ones, and a more urban aesthetic for the Paddington-facing ones. The Seam range was chosen for the Member’s Reserve, Premium Hospitality and Private Suits and Corporate Terraces, with the Stacking Chairs, Café Tables, High Dining Tables, Bar Stools and Bar Tables meeting COX’s design intent for functional variety. ‘Guests expect to be able to lounge, sit, drink – whilst being able to view the game,’ shares Ingrid. And within the variety, a sense of cohesion was still required for operational ease. A uniform powdercoat colour, Woodland Grey Textured, was selected across all the Tait products, so that they could easily be moved into different settings if needed.
Explore the Seam Collection
Tait’s Seam Barstools and customised High Table in Woodland Grey Textured Powdercoat, designed by Adam Cornish.
Facilitating functionality
Whilst the aesthetic was important, being a 42,500-seat stadium also required extremely critical functional criteria be met. ‘A very practical thing is that all the furniture outside had to be non-combustible,’ Ingrid explains. ‘Tait furniture is very comfortable to sit on, and fit all the criteria in terms of aesthetic and our design intent – but it was also very much a functional decision as well.’
‘Because it is a public building, Australian-made was important to the client – being able to support local brands,’ adds Ingrid. ‘The builder was more interested in program of course, and there were tight lead times, which were also delivered on. Coming out of Covid, there were a lot of delays because of shipping timelines – getting things from overseas was a nightmare. So local manufacture came into play as well.’
Tait’s Seam Cafe Table and Stacking Chairs in Woodland Grey Textured Powdercoat, designed by Adam Cornish.
Recently, the project was recognised as the recipient of the 2024 Lloyd Rees Award for Urban Design at the AIA’s NSW Chapter Awards. And importantly, the stadium has passed its first year after reopening with flying colours, successfully hosting 33 sporting events and three concerts. ‘People really enjoy being able to sit outside, not necessarily in their seat, and enjoy the game,’ Ingrid shares. ‘The terraces work really well, and the furniture selected for people to gather and stay there has been very successful’.
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