Brisbane Athletes Village will be designed by a collective of local, national and international architects appointed for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Queensland government confirmed the team will lead the village at the showgrounds precinct, two kilometres north of the central business district. The development forms a key part of the main Victoria Park precinct that will serve as the heart of the Games. According to a media communique, the design โis in the hands of a diverse team of leading local, national and international architects.โ The village is set to host 10,000 athletes and officials across 1,800 apartments during the event, anchoring Games activity at the 22-hectare site.
Appointed by project partners Lendlease and RNA, the design collective includes Woods Bagot, Cottee Parker, DBI and Plus Studio, in collaboration with United Kingdom architectural practice Howells. The team will lead the design of the villageโs buildings to ensure they function during the Games and in legacy mode. After the Olympics and Paralympics, the apartments will be converted into permanent build-to-rent or build-to-sell housing, according to Lendlease. The appointment combines Australian firms with international experience to resolve event operations, security, and services alongside long-term amenity, adaptability, and market viability for inner-city residential use.
BVN has been appointed to lead a multidisciplinary masterplanning team to steer the future of the 22-hectare Brisbane Showgrounds site. The land is owned by the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland. The masterplan covers the full precinct beyond the 1,800 apartments, including circulation, public space, and integration with Victoria Park. It will guide how the site operates during the Games and transitions afterward to support housing, events, and community activity. The Queensland government said the approach is intended to deliver lasting value, ensuring the showgrounds functions as a key 2032 hub and an active urban district after the event.
The Brisbane Athletes Village sits within the broader Victoria Park precinct identified as the main Brisbane 2032 Games area. Positioned two kilometres north of the central business district, the site connects the village to central Brisbane while anchoring Games activity in an established event precinct. The redevelopment plan balances temporary accommodation for athletes with permanent housing, public realm, and upgraded venues that support the ongoing Queensland Ekka and other major events. The location reinforces the showgrounds as a strategic inner-city site for both the Games and long-term urban growth.
The 20,000-seat main outdoor arena at the Brisbane Showgrounds will be upgraded to host Games events. The venue will continue to stage the ongoing Queensland Ekka after 2032. Arena improvements are part of the broader showgrounds redevelopment led by Lendlease and RNA. The government said, โThe new event infrastructure is set to cement Brisbane Showgroundโs role as a vibrant inner-city community and major entertainment destination well into the future.โ The upgrades run alongside the athletesโ housing, enabling the precinct to support sport, cultural programming, and large-scale public events before and after the Games.
Legacy conversion is central to the village design brief. The 1,800 apartments will first house 10,000 athletes and officials during Brisbane 2032. Post-Games, the buildings will transition to build-to-rent or build-to-sell housing. This dual-use strategy meets temporary demand while adding to Brisbaneโs inner-city residential supply. Woods Bagot, Cottee Parker, DBI, Plus Studio and Howells must resolve Games security, services, and logistics alongside long-term amenity, adaptability, and market viability. The design must work for athletes in 2032 and for residents in the decades that follow, embedding legacy outcomes into the initial planning and construction.
The combination of athletesโ housing, an upgraded arena, and a masterplanned public domain aims to activate the showgrounds year-round. The 22-hectare RNA-owned site will link with Victoria Park to form the main Games precinct two kilometres north of the central business district. With BVN guiding the masterplan and Lendlease and RNA delivering the village, the redevelopment integrates event, entertainment, and residential uses. The Queensland government expects the investment to support Brisbaneโs growth and reinforce the showgrounds as a major inner-city destination well beyond the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Image Courtesy: Architecture AU
