Jack Edwards Stadium, Oakleigh, Victoria

Jack Edwards Stadium in Oakleigh, Victoria

25 May 2026

Architects: Katz Architecture

Location: Oakleigh, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Photos: Kane Jarrod

Jack Edwards Stadium transforms a tightly constrained community sports ground into a civic-scaled public asset that supports elite competition while strengthening everyday community life. Commissioned by the City of Monash, the project responds to the dual ambition of achieving national-league compliance and delivering long-term public value, demonstrating how investment in sporting infrastructure can contribute meaningfully to the public health and domain.

The concept is driven by a single, decisive move: an elevated seating strategy that resolves competing spatial, technical and experiential demands. By lifting the grandstand, the design achieves optimal sightlines, preserves the integrity of the playing surface and unlocks a compact, layered building beneath. This approach allows the stadium to accommodate professional-grade facilities, social spaces and support functions within a limited footprint, while maintaining clarity of movement and use. The fanned form and expressive cantilevered roof reinforce the building’s focus on the field and establish a strong civic presence within the reserve.

Rather than functioning solely as an event-based facility, the stadium is conceived as a social and cultural anchor. Generous, light-filled social spaces are positioned to overlook the pitch, encouraging informal gathering and ongoing community engagement beyond match days. A clearly articulated northern entry, defined by a floating screen and cantilever, creates a legible and welcoming arrival from the street address, reinforcing the stadium’s role as a public destination and fostering a sense of identity, pride and belonging.

The building’s relationship to its context is carefully negotiated. Tight boundaries, fire separation requirements and proximity to neighbouring conditions informed a disciplined planning strategy, with service elements consolidated along the western edge to free the primary elevations for engagement with the reserve. A profiled precast rear façade animates what could otherwise have been a utilitarian surface, ensuring the stadium contributes positively to the wider landscape from all sides.

Programmatically, the project balances performance and adaptability. Player facilities exceed professional standards through generous ceiling heights, acoustic treatment and high-quality finishes, while sliding partitions enable change rooms spaces to expand or contract as required. This flexibility supports a wide range of sporting and community uses, maximising utilisation and return on public investment.

Close integration with allied disciplines was essential to the project’s delivery. Structural, fire and services engineering were embedded early, enabling the cantilevered roof, unobstructed sightlines and compliant boundary construction, including the use of intumescent coatings to resolve fire constraints without compromising architectural intent. Cost and value outcomes were carefully managed through a rational structural grid, repetition of elements and durable, low-maintenance materials, ensuring longevity and reduced operational burden. Sustainability is addressed through durability, adaptability and efficient spatial planning, supported by BESS and NABERS assessment frameworks.

Jack Edwards Reserve Stadium demonstrates how thoughtful public design can reconcile technical rigour, economic responsibility and civic ambition, setting a new benchmark for contemporary community sporting infrastructure.

What were the core design principles and functional considerations that guided the development of Jack Edwards Stadium, particularly in balancing spectator experience with practical amenities like change rooms and social areas?

Jack Edwards Stadium transforms a tightly constrained community sports ground into a civic-scaled public asset that supports elite competition while strengthening everyday community life. Commissioned by the City of Monash, the project responds to the dual ambition of achieving national-league compliance and delivering long-term public value, demonstrating how investment in sporting infrastructure can contribute meaningfully to the public health and domain. The concept is driven by a single, decisive move: an elevated seating strategy that resolves competing spatial, technical and experiential demands.

By lifting the grandstand, the design achieves optimal sightlines, preserves the integrity of the playing surface and unlocks a compact, layered building beneath. This approach allows the stadium to accommodate professional-grade facilities, social spaces and support functions within a limited footprint, while maintaining clarity of movement and use. The fanned form and expressive cantilevered roof reinforce the building’s focus on the field and establish a strong civic presence within the reserve. Rather than functioning solely as an event-based facility, the stadium is conceived as a social and cultural anchor.

Generous, light-filled social spaces are positioned to overlook the pitch, encouraging informal gathering and ongoing community engagement beyond match days. A clearly articulated northern entry, defined by a floating screen and cantilever, creates a legible and welcoming arrival from the street address, reinforcing the stadium’s role as a public destination and fostering a sense of identity, pride and belonging. The building’s relationship to its context is carefully negotiated. Tight boundaries, fire separation requirements and proximity to neighbouring conditions informed a disciplined planning strategy, with service elements consolidated along the western edge to free the primary elevations for engagement with the reserve.

A profiled precast rear façade animates what could otherwise have been a utilitarian surface, ensuring the stadium contributes positively to the wider landscape from all sides. Programmatically, the project balances performance and adaptability. Player facilities exceed professional standards through generous ceiling heights, acoustic treatment and high-quality finishes, while sliding partitions enable change rooms spaces to expand or contract as required. This flexibility supports a wide range of sporting and community uses, maximising utilisation and return on public investment.

Extract from monash.vic.gov.au

Home to Victorian Premier League’s Oakleigh Cannons, the new facilities include a grandstand with 500 undercover seats, lighting upgrades and facilities for players, spectators, referees and club volunteers.

Monash Mayor Cr Paul Klisaris, who was joined at the opening by Steve Dimopoulos, State MP for Oakleigh, and Clare O’Neil, Federal MP for Hotham, was delighted to see the project delivered after years of planning.

“These modern facilities will allow the Oakleigh Cannons to grow their programs – including creating more opportunities for women’s and girls’ teams.

“This $14.7m investment represents a dream and plan that began over 25 years ago for football in Oakleigh.

“It has been a long journey, with setbacks and challenges, but Monash Council and the football community have remained committed that young people and families deserve a home that matches their passion, love and commitment for their game.

“The project has been made possible by $8.2m from Council, $4m from the Victorian Government, $2m from the Australian Government and a commitment of $530,000 from the Oakleigh Cannons.

“This is another example of the three different levels of government coming together to create community sporting facilities here in Monash,” added Cr Klisaris.

The grandstand was in use for the first time in August and looked fantastic full of people in Oakleigh’s iconic blue and white. The first of many games for the Cannons at their upgraded home ground.