Stadiums Queensland offers virtual view of new stadium with app

Townsville’s 25,000 seat, $290 million, multi-purpose North Queensland (NQ) Stadium is progressing steadily towards completion.

Featuring a nine-metre-wide concourse where patrons can walk the full 600-metre circumference of the stadium, a “horseshoe-shaped, cantilever roof inspired by the pandanus plant”, 29 food and beverage outlets, and 88 corporate boxes – the stadium will be bigger and better than its predecessor, the 1300SMILES Stadium.

The main build works are now 50 per cent complete and the stadium is on track to be ready for the 2020 NRL season kick-off, but locals can already get a taste of what it will be like inside the NQ thanks to an app featuring immersive artist impressions.

The nqstadium app, which was released on the Apple App Store and Google Play this month, gives access to 360 degree images of what the stadium will look like once finished, before and after sliders that compare it to the existing 1300SMILES Stadium at Kirwan, and voice overs and on-screen text descriptions.

The app opens up the Building Information Modelling (BIM) digital representations of the structure and the virtual reality tools that are used by the stadium’s designers and managing contractor Watpac.

“In designing the stadium, the project team have used BIM to visualise spaces within the stadium to ensure the right balance between elegant architectural design and practical functionality is achieved,” explained Queensland Minister for Housing and Public Works Minister Mick de Brenni.

“We’re really excited to share this leading digital technology with the public as we celebrate reaching the half way mark in the main build,” he added.

The app, which was developed by principal consultant Cox Architecture and the Department of Housing and Public Works, will become far more functional once the stadium is complete.

When the stadium opens next year as the new home of the North Queensland Cowboys, it will feature tools to book seats, view game day information, food and drink options and purchase merchandise.

“The app will further improve the user’s experience – with a range of solutions being investigated to improve the fan experience,” state major sports facilities agency Stadiums Queensland said.