Designed for the Australian Football League, the Marvel Stadium Upgrade will improve the fan experience while further activating urban connections and the public realm within the broader Docklands precinct.

The design, led by Grimshaw, and in collaboration with sports architecture firm, Smartform, amplifies the capability and connectivity of the stadium. This is achieved through the adaptation of the stadium’s southern and eastern edges to create significant civic-focused places, such as the Town Square and City Edge.

The Town Square provides an active and public entry space that breaks down the existing solid southern edge of Marvel Stadium to directly connect the field of play with the broader stadium precinct.

This new edge is carefully refurbished and includes outdoor recreation spaces that may be used year round to not only enhance the stadium’s game-day functionality but also its civic offering in non-game mode,

Overlooking Wurundjeri Way, an arterial road that separates the Docklands precinct from the western edge of the CBD, the City Edge seeks to celebrate the stadium as a cultural destination, creating a more dynamic, and also functional, entry experience.

Building on the existing functional planning of the stadium to create an enticing and rich interior experience, layers of new program are carefully inserted across multiple levels and are complemented by upgrades to key existing infrastructure and amenities.

To celebrate Marvel Stadium’s unique location, each level is linked by a large, flexible daylit atrium that offers views of the stadium against the backdrop of Melbourne’s cityscape. As a dynamic space that offers connection to the outdoors while providing protection against the elements, the atrium is set to become a catalyst for Marvel Stadium’s reinvention as a civic-focussed sports and entertainment venue.