The Club Stand | Victoria Racing Club | Bates Smart Architects

Leading Australian architecture and interior design practice, Bates Smart has completed The Club Stand for the Victoria Racing Club (VRC). The $128 million state-of-the-art hospitality facility with a GFA of 12,967sqm draws inspiration from Flemington’s garden setting and will be the tenth grandstand built at Flemington since 1865. The Club Stand delivers a clear philosophical design strategy that reads from the outside in. A key driver of the design was to create opportunities to improve sightlines to the race-track and ensure the floorplate remains flexible to accommodate any alternations to meet future needs. Bates Smart’s approach ensured the architectural language of the exterior was very well-defined, and this approach is continued internally with the elements of each fitout treated like a sleek, timeless stage set that can be inserted into the preceding shell. Each venue is in effect ‘plugged in’ as sets for a theatrical experience with its own personality. Internal decorative elements of The Club Stand are visibly disengaged from the base building architecture which has visible and clearly designed elements, allowing for a seamless flow through the building. The principle white ceilings are curved to mimic the underside and the balconies of the external façade to bring the architectural expression within. The perimeter of The Club Stand features floor-to-ceiling glazing that is treated as frameless walls. This concept is brought within with curved full-height glass dividing walls so there is visibility through the building. Each of the perimeter columns have deliberately been kept white and are incorporated into the food and beverage elements to ensure legibility through the building. On occasions, seating has been wrapped around the white columns to continue the seamless flow. Coffers have also been installed and carefully illuminate. Within this theatre, each individual venue is given its own signature personality with its unique name inspired by the horse racing tradition. The entry doors are treated as signposts to welcome guest into the energetic restaurant or bar experience. The corners of the interiors spaces are carefully positioned to face the Winning Post, with low seating to offer uninterrupted and maximised views of the track. The lifts, escalator and lounge areas are generally finished in timber slat walls to offer a warm ambience expected of such a prestigious Club. A general base palette that is consistent with the base building has been applied to the internal toilets and general facilities of the food and beverage areas.