Darug
New South Wales
The Blacktown Exercise Sports and Technology Hub (BEST) is a world-class facility at the intersection of sport, culture, health and community. Designed by ARM Architecture with Architectus (landscape architects) and executive architect CO.OP Studio, BEST’s striking design is informed by the local multicultural vernacular, including Indian temples, Turkish bathhouses, and Chinese gardens. Its high-tech façade references sporting technology, including 3D printed equipment and apparel, carbon fibre prosthetics and aerodynamic fabrics.
The BEST serves as a centre for education, sports science and allied health, offering integrated facilities equipped with the latest in medical technology. Students, athletes and the broader community can access top tier treatment and rehabilitation services in a welcoming and inclusive environment. BEST is not for elite athletes alone; it has been conceived as a generous community asset aimed at improving long term health and wellbeing outcomes.
Award for Interior Architecture
Establishing a new standard for a typology that is often protective and closed, the BEST Hub greets the community with contagious energy and joyfulness, redefining and expanding the expectations of its use.
Walking through the intuitive circulation of this playful and dynamic architecture, conceptualised around movement and transformation, it becomes clear that the use of colour is considerate and meaningful and a necessity of the concept of the building. The materiality of the surfaces is equally evocative and tactile, which enhances the chromatic experience with the more technical components of the building smartly integrated.
The bold, curvaceous and colourful public areas are counterbalanced by quite austere and rudimental tenant areas, functional but well connected to the public spaces and natural light. The budget is carefully considered with emphasis on the community and public interface, a welcome gesture that places the accent back on the final user: the community.
Commendation for Educational Architecture
Blacktown Exercise and Sports Technology Hub (BEST) by ARM Architecture with Architectus and CO.OP Studio is a vibrant testament to innovative design principles, combining shiny materials and bold colours to create a dynamic atmosphere that blends fun and cutting-edge technology. With a primary focus on improving health outcomes for the Western Sydney community, the project caters to diverse needs with a variety of programs.
Inspired by the multicultural vernacular of Western Sydney, the design draws from elements of Indian temples, Turkish bathhouses, and Chinese gardens, influencing aspects such as colour schemes, circulation patterns, and material choices. This infusion of cultural influences not only celebrates ethnic diversity but also materialises identity aspirations, transforming what was once a secure and limited-access domain into a public space that embraces plurality.
ARM’s Blacktown Exercise and Sports Technology Hub embodies a fusion of health, technology, and cultural identity, enriching the community’s physical literacy and wellbeing while celebrating the vibrant diversity of Western Sydney.
ARM’s BEST Hub redefines the term community asset.
It materialises identity in aspiration; relishes in the plurality of ethnic diversity; and renders public a domain that was once secure, controlled and limited in access.
The BEST Hub is a public destination in the broadest terms. It educates (tertiary level sports science faculty); it advocates for physical awareness and movement; it rehabilitates and aids recovery (allied health practice specialising in worker’s, motor vehicle and sports injuries); it provides health services tailored to demographic needs (gold standard medical clinic); and provides facilities and accommodation for athletes of all abilities.
The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
