IAKS ANZ Annual Forum to explore the Future of Sports Facility Design

The IAKS ANZ Annual Architects & Sports Design Forum, being held in Melbourne next week, will explore modern facility design with the theme ‘Designing for High Performance and Community Needs’.

This year’s forum will focus on one of the most pressing challenges facing the sports and recreation sector - how to deliver facilities that simultaneously cater to elite athletes and everyday users, without compromise. Can it be done? And more critically, are we truly legacy-proofing our buildings for future generations?

The event will bring together leading voices from architecture, sport, community development, and government, offering a global perspective on integrated and sustainable design.

Among the panel of experts is Todd Greenberg, Chief Executive of Cricket Australia and former Chief Executive of the NRL, who will share insights from his extensive leadership experience in elite sport and community engagement.

Ahead of this event, Greenberg shared “Sport has the unique power to unite and inspire. As we prepare to host one of the biggest rivalries in world sport (The Ashes) we must also think long-term about how our venues and facilities can serve future generations, from elite athletes to the local weekend warrior.” 

Greenberg will join a distinguished panel of international experts, each bringing a unique perspective on the design, delivery, and operation of high-performance sport and community facilities.

Yvette Audet, IAKS ANZ Chair added "we’re seeing increasing pressure to do more with less - designing spaces that serve elite training while being accessible, inclusive, and adaptable.

"Great design goes beyond the building. This forum is about pushing the conversation forward – are we creating active spaces for whole communities, are we building for today, or for 30 years from now?"

Attendees can expect a lively panel discussion, with dynamic and affordable programming, and networking opportunities with the people shaping the future of sports infrastructure across Australasia and beyond.

The Architects & Sports Design Forum is an initiative of IAKS ANZ, the Australia and New Zealand section of the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities, dedicated to innovation, collaboration, and excellence in the planning, design, and operation of sport and leisure facilities.

Event Details:

Date: Tuesday 24th June 2025, from 5pm

Location: Beca @ Melbourne Quarter Tower, 695 Collins Street, Docklands

More information and registration at www.trybooking.com/CZMQN

Image top. Victorian Cricket and Community Centre; image below: the Ashes