The National Cycling Centre of Excellence

Warren and Mahoney was invited by the Waitakere Trusts to design the Auckland proposal for the National Cycling Centre of Excellence Velodrome competition.  The scheme was one of seven proposed nationwide and was included in the final shortlist of three.

The National Cycling Centre of Excellence is intended to be home to the country’s cycling elite as well as serving as a catalyst for growing cycling in New Zealand.   Designed to be the country’s only international UCI standard velodrome, it is also capable of hosting a world championship or commonwealth games as well as a wide range of other specialist cycling events.

The Centre was designed to house a 250 metre track, 2000 permanent seats expandable up to 4000, a high performance training centre with an accompanying gymnasium, retail, a large function centre and home to Bike New Zealand who administer New Zealand’s elite cycling program.

The building form reflects the speed and drama of track cycling as well as provides for flexibility of use outside high performance event dates. The overall building was conceived as a singular curvaceous form that is constructed – both its structure and ‘skin’ – from standard steel components. This was essentially a response to the constraints of construction budget and the desire for simple materials to be expressed in a dynamic way.

The proposed site was the Waitakere Trusts’ existing sporting precinct in west Auckland, also designed by Warren and Mahoney.