Preview of the new heart of the Gold Coast Cultural Precinct

A first look inside the Gold Coast Cultural Precinct’s new amphitheatre has revealed a stage able to accommodate a full symphony orchestra.

Fully equipped to present world-class performances to audiences of up to 5,000, the Versatile Outdoor Space (VOS) within The Arts Centre Gold Coast will double as a sought-after function venue.

During a site visit this week, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said with its 3.5 tonne door closed, the stage could accommodate up to 200 people seated in air-conditioned comfort.

Mayor Tate advised “iIt will be a truly versatile venue where we can welcome home our Olympians, celebrate a wedding or present anything from a chamber orchestra to an international headline act.”

Mayor Tate and Gold Coast City Councillor Gary Baildon led a media visit to the new venue this week to view where Managing Contractors ADCO Constructions will soon begin fitout of the extensive back-of-house, including a kitchen, green room, lighting and technical equipment.

Mayor Tate commented “the striking gravity-defying 600 metre² shade cover is now in place (with) ten, 10-tonne support beams (having been) welded in-situ and (with) footings buried 15 metres into the ground.

“This has allowed the free-standing structure to appear to float above the stage. Its infill features the distinctive voronoi - or polygon - pattern which will be reflected across the precinct.”

Landscaping, including paving, is taking shape with feature trees, including mature Livistona, or cabbage tree, palms having arrived on 16th August to enable them to be established during spring.

Laying of the concert lawn will be among the finishing touches before the site is handed to The Arts Centre Gold Coast in December. The lawn will be allowed to establish over the summer months and in the lead-up to 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, with major programming to begin after the Games.

Mayor Tate said the precinct would be the latest addition to the city’s CCTV network, with 18 cameras installed on site, providing 24 hour monitoring, adding “with the VOS fully operational after GC2018, we can be ready to start on the next key pieces of the precinct - the green bridge to Chevron Island and our new City Art Gallery.

“This will be a vital project which will deliver important cultural infrastructure and jobs after GC2018.”

Images: Construction work within the Gold Coast Cultural Precinct (top) and [from left] Bob Hill, Joint Chairperson of ADCO Constructions; Gold Coast Councillor Gary Baildon; City of Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate and Colin Kitto, Gold Coast Manager of ADCO Constructions on site this week (below). 

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