It All Starts With Training – High Performance Training Centres

Populous is the world’s leading firm for sports architecture. We understand the importance of training, education and administration facilities in driving a club's success on and off the field.

It starts with taped ankles and early morning workouts. It’s adding 5kgs to the bench press, the one extra squat, shaving precious tenths off the 40m time and spending extra hours studying film.

The players do it all for the honour of wearing the club’s colours. As the season kicks off, fans rally around their heroes, and the field becomes sacred ground, set aside for those who have trained and sacrificed for a shared goal – United on the path to victory.

Expertise

Training Facilities

Sydney Swans HQ Design Drawing

PWR E-Sports Concept Drawing

Brisbane Lions Concept Drawing

Since 1983, we’ve completed work on over 130 high performance and university sports facilities, and we know the critical role that performance, teamwork, and branding play in building a successful program.

This isn’t just about enhancing players’ strength, fitness, and recovery—it’s about becoming a symbol of excellence that attracts top talent among players and staff.

→ High Performance

Populous specialises in designing environments to optimise athletic performance. Athlete training and development has become a much more sophisticated enterprise over the last decade, and Populous is at the forefront of these advances, working daily with athletes, coaches and trainers around the world to understand how they train and what they need to achieve the highest levels of success. Time management is critical to their success.

→ Team

By excelling in first impressions, impact places and preparation spaces, these buildings can tell the story of a program’s great moments and hall of fame players while expressing a definitive commitment of the team to future success. These are not only places to get current players to the optimum level of performance, they are opportunities to impress and attract the best players and coaches.

→ Branding

Branding elements can drive the design of the environments, add layers of interest and depth as well as create new revenue and sponsorship opportunities. The team’s brand, identity and traditions are central to the design approach. The essential foundation of every project is a story that is distinct to each client’s place and brand. Our branded environments create venues that are authentic, experiential and memorable.

Our Projects

Sydney Swans HQ

Sydney Swans HQ

Sydney’s iconic Royal Hall of Industries at Moore Park has undergone a remarkable transformation into the Sydney Swans HQ and Community Centre. Completed in early 2023, this cutting-edge facility merges premier sporting capabilities with community engagement, all while preserving the building’s historical essence.

Located in Sydney’s sports precinct, the HQ is now the proud base for the Sydney Swans’ men’s and women’s teams, along with the QBE Sydney Swans Academy, which provides an elite training pathway for 700 young boys and girls across New South Wales. It fosters a collaborative environment among players, coaches and staff, centred around an impressive indoor field within the building’s barrel-vaulted structure.

Our Projects

Sydney Swans HQ
Tasmanian Devils

Tasmanian Devils

Populous are passionate, signed-up members of the Tasmania Devils. We are committed to designing a distinctively Tasmanian, best-practice high-performance centre that will allow them to compete at the highest level.

The new centre will be a place for the community to come together and build on the great history and spirit of AFL in Tasmania. It will help us retain the best Tasmanian talent and inspire the next generation of AFL and AFLW heroes.

Our Projects
Brisbane Lions

Brisbane Lions

The Brisbane Lions is one of the younger teams in the Australian Football League — only playing its inaugural season in 1997. And although the club has experienced major success, winning three Premiership Cups, it still lacked an appropriate stadium and training facilities for their women’s and men’s team to call home. The Brisbane Lions Brighton Homes Arena was a response to those needs. Designed from the start to provide equal facilities for AFL and AFLW, it’s also the first dedicated AFLW Premiership arena in Australia.

The Training Facility houses spaces for the Lions’ training and admin needs. Our Interior Design team has used a rich palette of earthy colors with natural textures like timber and brick to create a place that feels welcoming. The football department occupies the entire ground level, which brings together the AFLW and AFL teams and their personnel. This was important in developing a unifying spirit between the teams, but it also created cost efficiencies for the project through considered planning of shared spaces. The 50 metre by 35 metre indoor training field, known as The Cage, provides a controlled training environment for the club, particularly during bad weather or when the field is being repaired.

Our Projects

Brisbane Lions Brighton Homes Arena
CommBank Matildas'

CommBank Matildas'

The CommBank Matildas’ purpose-built, training facility is the new home base for the Australian women’s football team as well as the permanent home for Football Victoria’s representative teams for men and women of all ages.

Located in Victoria’s La Trobe University Sports Park, it is the largest football-specific infrastructure project in Australia’s history, supported and embraced by the Victorian and Federal Government.

The facility provides a first of its kind elite training environment for the transient CommBank Matildas’ team with exclusive use whenever they are in camp. The facility also provides year-round access to elite training and match facilities for the junior and senior Victorian football community.

Our Projects

The Home of the Matildas
Geelong Cats

Geelong Cats

GMHBA Stadium at Kardinia Park is the home of the Geelong Cats AFL team and has been a part of the urban fabric of the City of Greater Geelong for almost 75 years.

Our goal has been to create training and administrative facilities for Geelong Football Club, while maximizing community usage and commercial benefits derived from such a significant recreational asset.

Our Projects

GMHBA Stadium
North Queensland Cowboy's

North Queensland Cowboy's

The Hutchinson Builders Centre is the community, training, and high performance facility for the North Queensland Cowboys. The centre sits in prime position overlooking Ross Creek River and Townsville CBD.

The state-of-the-art high-performance training facilities enable the club to develop and retain the team, with both the Men’s Cowboys and Women’s Gold Star’s Rugby League teams using the centre.

Other features of the site include a synthetic grass indoor training field that can be converted to a community basketball and netball court as well as a small retail outlet and café that overlooks the training field.

Our Projects

North Queensland Cowboy’s Hutchinson Builders Centre
Western Bulldogs

Western Bulldogs

Populous led the design management for Stages 1 and 2 of the Whitten Oval master plan, enhancing facilities for the Western Bulldogs Football Club. Stage 1 introduced AFLW home and away change rooms and a video scoreboard, while Stage 2 featured the new EJ Whitten Stand and advanced elite training amenities.

Whitten Oval, a central community asset and beloved Bulldogs' home ground, is integral to fostering community bonds. Recognizing the oval's role and its secure perimeter's impact on community engagement, Populous redesigned the space to better integrate with the precinct, reflecting the club's commitment to its community.

Our Projects

Western Bulldogs Whitten Oval
Brisbane Broncos

Brisbane Broncos

The Brisbane Broncos identified a new training and administration facility as a key component to maintain their sustained on-field and off-field success and remain as the nation’s premier sporting franchise.

Behind this public zone sit the state-of-the-art training and rehabilitation areas for the Broncos’ player group. Level 1 houses the coaching staff offices and player meeting & lounge areas as well as the Community Education Centre that will be open to and used primarily by school and community groups. Level 2 houses the administrative offices as well as a dining space (with semi-commercial kitchen) in the northeast corner. The building has a new training field to the north and is the primary visual focus from inside the building.

Our Projects

Brisbane Broncos Training, Administration and Community Facility
West Coast Eagles

West Coast Eagles

Building on sustained on-field and off-field success, the West Coast Eagles needed a new training and administration facility to maintain its position as one of the nation’s top AFL teams.

Set within a residential area, the new development was designed to be sympathetic to its surroundings. Reducing its visual impact, the three-story building is fronted by a single-story entrance, with the other levels folding into the surrounding landscape. Each room within the center has been carefully designed and laid out to maximize interactions between players and coaching staff. The modern facilities include a double-height gym, pools with rehabilitation facilities, an altitude room, climbing wall and a large indoor practice field, which accommodates training during spells of bad weather or extreme heat. The design is also flexible enough to cater for the long-term needs of the club, including the addition of a women’s team in the future.

Our Projects

West Coast Eagles Training Facility
Rugby AU House

Rugby AU House

The Rugby Australia Building in Sydney is the first facility of its kind in Australia to house national sporting teams alongside one of the country’s leading tertiary education institutions.

Located in one of Sydney’s biggest sporting precincts at Moore Park, the new home of Rugby Australia and the University of Technology Sydney’s sport and exercise science and physiotherapy programs, is a world-class high-performance training facility and a valuable community asset.

Supported with significant investments by the Commonwealth and NSW State Governments, the Rugby Australia Building has seen more than 100 sporting professionals co-locate with over 700 students and researchers in a facility designed to provide world-class amenities, including state-of-the-art training and research spaces and high-performance laboratories.

The elite training facility also houses the University of Technology Sydney’s (UTS) Sports Campus. The co-location of the two organisations has the potential to greatly benefit both groups through direct links between athletes and cutting edge sports science/exercise science labs and programs using the latest technology. UTS research will support talent identification, injury minimisation and best-practice recovery and rehabilitation.

The UTS campus will also provide education opportunities, with the elite athletes based at the centre able to enrol in custom-made courses that can be balanced with their sport and training commitments.

Co-locating two high-profile entities within the same building, and creating their own distinct identities was a key design challenge for Populous. To meet this need, an individual and impressive entrance was designed for Rugby Australia and UTS at separate ends of the building.

Our Projects

Australian Rugby Development Centre
Carlton Blues

Carlton Blues

Populous designed an extension to Carlton's existing facilities to support expanded club operations now and in the future. The redevelopment also enhanced physical and visual connections between the stadium, IKON Park, and Royal Parade.

Through a collaborative design process, Populous worked with Carlton to develop a clear brief and desired outcomes. Emphasizing Universal Design Principles, the focus was on maximizing efficiency, communication, connectivity, and collaboration.

Our Projects

Ikon Park Redevelopment
Greater Western Sydney

Greater Western Sydney

Populous was commissioned to design the new training facility for the Greater Western Sydney Giants.

The design aspiration was to produce a Training and Administration facility that strengthens the status and identity of the GWS Giants Football Club and serves to inspire staff and players in the playing, training and administrative fields.

Our Projects

WestConnex Centre
Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre

Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre

In October 2021 Populous was commissioned by Moreton Bay Regional Council to assist with the initial Business Case for a new Indoor Sports Centre located in the Mill precinct, Moreton Bay. The importance of this project lies in it being a key venue for the 2032 SEQ Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is also a key facility in the exciting redevelopment of the Mill precinct, which can act as a catalyst for the broader development of the precinct.

Our Projects
Wiigulga Sports Complex

Wiigulga Sports Complex

Located on the northern beaches of Coffs Harbour, the Wiigulga Sports Complex celebrates the diversity of the people, cultures, histories and landscapes that make up the local area.

The building’s positioning was designed to provide a beacon for visitors. Promoting health and fitness within the neighborhood, the complex consists of a mix of outdoor AFL and cricket fields, surrounded by running tracks and bike paths.

Inside, the plan is made up of four key functional spaces, including the entry foyer, a multipurpose function room, the main hall and performing arts space, plus an additional amenities pavilion to service the playing fields. The multi-use spaces are extremely efficient, catering for the needs of a diverse and ever-changing community. Emphasis has been placed on reinforcing the strong traditions of teaching for the next generation through a space that encourages growth and learning.

Our Projects

Wiigulga Sports Complex
Fortress

Fortress

Following the success of their Melbourne venture, Fortress Australia have expanded their unique gaming and entertainment brand with their second video game and esports venue, Fortress Sydney.

The venue selection had to take advantage of foot traffic from major public transport links and educational institutions and host up to 1,000 people. Central Park Mall was chosen due to its location in Sydney’s trendy inner-city suburb of Chippendale, with over 1,500sqm on two floors.

Our Projects

Fortress Sydney
NSW Rugby League

NSW Rugby League

The Centre of Excellence unites NSW Rugby Leagues facilities, hosting tenants from five different organisations: NSW Rugby League, University of New England, Kari, Men of League and Country Rugby League.

As the headquarters for the code in NSW, the venue supports senior football, junior football, Indigenous programs, country programs, women’s rugby league and referees setting a benchmark for their future excellence. The facility is home to both administrative services and a high performance training facility. Featuring gym, recovery, nutrition and dining facilities, the centre creates pathway for players, preparing them for the game’s ultimate event – the State of Origin.

Our Projects

NSW Rugby League Centre of Excellence
Queensland Rugby League

Queensland Rugby League

Queensland Sports & Athletics Centre, located in Nathan, Queensland, is a premier facility developed for the Queensland Rugby League (QRL). It supports diverse sports events and community engagement across Australia.

Our Projects
PWR E-Sports

PWR E-Sports

In collaboration with PWR, Populous launched a first-of-its-kind architecturally designed elite esports training and content facility, created in the Fortnite metaverse.

The PWR Facility is the first of its kind training facility built in Fortnite Creative - a new tool that has extended the freedom of expression for Fortnite players to communicate through the creation of their own universes, places and spaces - similar to the PWR + Populous collaboration. The power behind Fortnite Creative meant there was no need to code in complex CAD software’s while displaying how Fortnite Creative mode is a viable architectural visualisation solution accessible to the gaming community.

Our Projects

PWR Facility

International Projects

Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills

We’ve incrementally renovated the Buffalo Bills’ ADPRO Sports Training Center each off-season since 2014, including those updates completed in April 2019. Updates have included tripling the size of the team locker room and existing weight room while adding new training and recovery areas to create a best-in-class sports performance and science center. From a two-story glass atrium entry lobby to the new dining center, we left no part of the player’s journey untouched.

International Projects

ADPRO Sports Training Center
Charlotte Hornets

Charlotte Hornets

Populous has joined forces with the Charlotte Hornets and key partners to bring a cutting-edge performance center to Uptown Charlotte. The project will be constructed alongside the Spectrum Center and is set to begin in early 2025. Once completed, the facility will boast over 14,000 square meters, featuring premier training, practice, recovery spaces, administrative offices and retail areas, with the aim of serving both the Hornets organization and the broader Charlotte community.

International Projects

Populous to Design Charlotte Hornets’ New State-of-the-Art Performance Center
Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs Football Club challenged us to design and administer construction for its training complex located adjacent to Arrowhead Stadium. The facility features two natural turf playing fields with integral drainage and irrigation systems. A pre-engineered building that houses a 70-yard artificial turf playing field, approximately 9,000 square feet of training/locker room space and a maintenance facility are also included in the complex. We later designed a renovation and expansion of the facility including upgrades to both the office and training spaces.

International Projects

The University of Kansas Hospital Arrowhead Training Complex
Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee Bucks

Populous, in partnership with Milwaukee-based Eppstein Uhen Architects (EUA), unveils the Milwaukee Bucks’ Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin Sports Science Center this week. The Bucks’ new 7,000 square meter training center will serve as the home for the team’s year-round training and lies right in the heart of downtown Milwaukee.

International Projects

Milwaukee Bucks Training Center
Olympique Lyonnais

Olympique Lyonnais

Olympique Lyonnais approached the plans for their new home with clear objectives. First, they wanted a world-class venue, equipped with all the features required by UEFA to host international tournaments and events. Next, they wanted a sustainable stadium that respected its surroundings and represented something the people of Lyon could be proud of. Last, and perhaps most importantly, they wanted a new home that would retain the unique relationship between the club and its supporters.

International Projects

Groupama Stadium and Training Centre
Queens Park Rangers

Queens Park Rangers

The new Queens Park Rangers training academy and community sports complex strives to establish a new standard in training centre design, with professional sports sitting alongside a development academy and community hub. This concept is integral to QPR, who believe that the essence of the club lies in its west London community. The facilities include state-of-the art indoor amenities, 11 outdoor pitches and an indoor covered pitch that will provide the setting for all-weather training. A further 11 community pitches will also be a key element of the design.

International Projects

Queens Park Rangers Training Centre
Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland Cavaliers

In partnership with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Cleveland Clinic, a top-ranked medical center, the Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center will be a first-of-its-kind sports performance center and training facility along the Cuyahoga River. As lead designers for the project, our depth of expertise and innovation in world-class elite athlete training environments allowed us to conceptualize a revolutionary, elite athlete training facility that will elevate the team, the community and the City of Cleveland.

International Projects

Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center
New England Revolution

New England Revolution

Inspired by the site’s surrounding forest and wetlands, the Revolution Training Center reflects the feel of a high-end lodge by incorporating responsibly-sourced wood, glass and metal throughout its exterior and interior. From the multi-story lobby to the communal dining hall and locker room, the facility features an abundance of natural light to bring the outside in and create a welcoming environment for all players.

International Projects

18.4715.00
Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto Blue Jays

After a successful partnership on the Blue Jays Player Development Complex, the club is once again working with industry-leading Populous on architectural design of the multiyear $300 million privately funded renovation that will transform Rogers Centre from a stadium into a ballpark through a series of projects focused on modernizing the fan experience and building world-class player facilities.

International Projects

Toronto Blue Jays Partner with Populous on Rogers Centre Renovation
Texas A&M

Texas A&M

When completed in 2015, Kyle Field will represent the most extensive redevelopment of a collegiate athletic facility in history and will serve as a benchmark for future redevelopment projects at colleges across the nation. Centered around "The Home of the 12th Man," this project embodies the belief that at Texas A&M, fans don't just watch the game, they effect the game.

International Projects

Texas A&M Bright Football Complex
Penn State

Penn State

After a competitive process, Penn State has announced its architect — Populous — and construction manager — a joint venture of Barton Malow, AECOM Hunt and Alexander — as selections for the multiyear, multiphase Beaver Stadium renovation project.

International Projects

Populous selected as architect for Beaver Stadium renovations

Internationally, we design training venues for top teams like Kansas City Chiefs, Milwaukee Bucks, Olympique Lyonnais, Queens Park Rangers, Cleveland Cavaliers, New England Revolution, Toronto Blue Jays, Texas A&M and Penn State University.

With a strong focus on sports facility design, we prioritize research and development to deliver the best solutions, drawing on global experience to adapt innovations locally. We explore every design layer to create facilities that meet the unique needs of players and coaches, enhancing engagement and optimizing training experiences.

Our specialist team collaborates with coaches, executives, sports medicine doctors, and facility operators, ensuring we stay at the cutting edge of sports facility trends and club needs.

Design Learnings

Buffalo Bills Sports Science Addition

Sydney Swans HQ

Purdue University Football Performance Complex

Georgetown University Athletic Training Center

Truly innovative facilities focus on having the best resources used by world-leading staff to carry out the club’s athletic mission. This mission naturally segments into three lenses: Performance, Science and Medicine.

Human Body Recovery

Human Body Recovery

Facilities that set themselves apart from other top tier programs look to incorporate recovery suites, prehab/rehab facilities, heat chambers and hyperbaric chambers.
Individualised Training

Individualised Training

Pliability, connecting the brain and the body, utilising sports medicine as more than just an ancillary treatment post injury. In the future there will be more genetic testing and individualised training programs based on genetic make-up and athletic potential.
Motion Analysis & Data Tracking

Motion Analysis & Data Tracking

A holistic approach, health being in the same building as the athletes, and multi-disciplinary teams. A science room that includes movement screening with cameras and data analysis.
Strategic Partnerships

Strategic Partnerships

Strategic partnerships that utilise the strength and resources of each party are essential in order to ensure innovative success.
Innovative Technology

Innovative Technology

More integrated technology into equipment, such as wearables, combining multiple systems of recovery (i.e. hydrotherapy and compression), more detailed focus on sleep and recovery, and a higher focus on nutrition and hydration through technological advancements.
Sports Education

Sports Education

Providing educational opportunities for elite athletes to enrol in custom-made courses that can be balanced with their sport and training commitments.

Women In Sports

In most countries, the female population exceeds the male population, with a general trend toward an older female demographic. For example, in Australia the typical woman is 39 years old and has a life expectancy of 85.4 years.”

The statistics of the participation in a sport related activity at least once a week shows the following numbers:

→ Women (aged 15+) – 32%

→ Women with disability (aged 18+) – 18%

→ First Nations’ women (aged 18+) – 26%

→ Girls (aged 0-14) – 46%

The growth of professional women’s sports in Australia is exemplified by the increase in the number of AFL Women’s teams, which grew from 8 teams in 2017 to 18 teams in 2022, matching the number of men’s teams in the AFL.

Recognizing these needs has led to a growing demand for multi-functional, inclusive, and mixed-use sports facilities. Such facilities should offer equal access to elite training zones for both male and female athletes while encouraging women of all ages to participate in community sports activities within a safe and family-friendly environment.

"As a struggling female athlete, you cannot measure how much it means to see that someone values you – equal services at the club, same size offices for the men’s and women’s coaches"

Breeanna Brock

Women’s CEO, Brisbane Lions

Zoom

The importance of inclusivity and accessibility for sports facilities has grown rapidly over the past few years. This growth is well-fed not only by impressive achievements of the Paralympic sports movement and significantly increased interest to the female sport, but also by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Adopted by all United Nations members in 2015, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development states that inclusive design affects 6 categories: Economic Impact, Future Proofing, Health and Wellness, Social Impact, Equality and Equity and Opportunity.

Thought Leadership

Elite Training Summits

At Populous, we recognize the importance of engaging with industry leaders and exploring advancements in training facilities. One way we do this is through our Elite Training Summits.

Held regularly worldwide, the summit connects our global teams, exceptional people and international partners, gaining insights directly from those on the forefront of the training facility market.

"You can’t be sustainable if it’s not designed for all. If it’s maximum return for minimal resources, and a person misses out, then it’s not truly sustainable."

Nick Morris OAM

Director Morris Goding Access Consulting

Survey results from our most recent summit expressed 70% strongly agreed that E.23 deepened your understanding of key issues and opportunities in training facilities.

The topic that you were most keen to talk about was Elite Women’s Sports and Training Facilities sitting at 80%, with the other three topics following close behind.

Key takeaways Included:

→ Engage users early to ensure the success of a facility’s design is maximised.

→ The global sports world is very small, and we all face the same challenges in our facilities.

→ Accessibility and universal design drives design and innovation.

→ A lived value is a powerful thing, it’s about finding yours and articulating the vision.

→ The focus of elite training facilities is now on the complete athlete (performance, recovery, mental health) and all athletes (men, women, para).

→ Striving for equality and longevity.

→ Our athletes, technology, and operations are all evolving.

→ We need to allow our facilities to be able to not only adapt to changes but be ahead of the game.

→ The spine of the facilities creates the collaboration and connection between departments. This design becomes a supportive environment and contributes to the development of an elite athlete.

→ By combining or integrating male and female facilities we can reach parity.

Taryn McQueen (Principal | Architect) & Sophie Hogben (Senior Associate | Wayfinding Design Lead) in attendance at the Women In Sports Summit 2024

Podcast

Our team is always exploring ways to connect with partners and share insights, whether through live industry events or our internal podcast – Drawing People Together.

Drawing People Together S2 E1: Elite Training Facilities

Drawing People Together S2 E1: Elite Training Facilities

Host: Charlie Brooks

Guests: Brayden Goodwin, Scott Gibson, Charlie Fordham

With global clients requesting more mixed-use spaces in their elite training facilities, we explore how design is pushing the boundaries within the industry. Facilities are now delivering a design-for-all approach and sit at the intersection of elite training, mental and physical wellness, education, data and technology.

Season 2, Episode 1

2024
- Wiigulga Sports Complex | Australian Institute of Architects NSW Country Division Commendation Public Architecture Award
- Sydney Swans HQ | 5-Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia.
2023
- Sydney Swans HQ | Master Builders Association NSW Excellence in Construction & Fitout (FDC Construction)
- Brisbane Lions Training Facility | Australian Institute of Architects QLD Brisbane Region Commendation for Commercial Architecture
- Brisbane Lions Training Facility | Master Builders Association Queensland Construction Award - Sporting Facilities (Hutchinson Builders)
2021
- North Queensland Cowboy's Hutchinson Builders Centre | Best Sporting Facility, Master Builders North Queensland Housing and Construction Awards.
- North Queensland Cowboy's Hutchinson Builders Centre | North Queensland Project of the Year, Master Builders North Queensland Housing and Construction Awards.