Palm Beach Aquatic & Community Centre | Liquid Blu and COX Architecture

Commendation for Public Architecture

The Palm Beach Aquatic Centre is a case study in how good architecture moves beyond its specific brief and may serve a much more civic role in the community in which it is imbedded. So much more than a series of pools, the centre has become a key community gathering space by prioritising accessibility, sensitive siting, and flexible covered spaces to cater for a vast variety of functions and user groups. The architects have managed this complexity generated by in a way that feels relaxed and unforced, giving the complex a sense of welcoming that has seen its user numbers far exceed every expectation set by initial statistics modelling. Moving through the building there is a sense of ambiguity between internal and external spaces created by clever detailing of quality materials, and the celebration of key existing landscape views.

Sustainability shortlist

The FDG Stanley Award for Public Architecture

At the edge of Currumbin Creek, where wetlands meet the suburban fringe, the Palm Beach Aquatic and Community Centre responds with sensitivity to its setting. Its open, transparent form draws the surrounding wetlands, parklands and waterways into the experience of the building, while an elevated public podium creates shaded verandahs and expansive views. Endemic planting and a strong horizontal expression, referencing Palm Beach’s modernist heritage, anchor the centre within its coastal context. 

The centre accommodates a broad and carefully integrated program, including indoor and outdoor pools, learn-to-swim facilities, children’s water play areas, fitness spaces, a multipurpose hall, dance studio, crèche and café. Accessibility is exemplary, exceeding Australian standards through Changing Places certification, intuitive wayfinding and a genuine commitment to inclusive participation. The jury noted a quality of welcome that felt effortless, the result of thoughtful planning and a genuine commitment to equitable participation for all. 

Sustainability is embedded in the building’s operation through heat pumps, heat recovery systems, advanced water filtration and natural ventilation, reducing energy and water consumption. 

Visiting mid-week, the jury observed a facility already operating beyond forecast patronage, animated by people of all ages. This is a project that has quickly become an essential piece of community infrastructure, demonstrating how thoughtful architecture can foster connection, wellbeing and a strong sense of community ownership.