CPB Contractors (formerly Leighton Contractors) was selected by the Olympic Coordination Authority to deliver the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (SOPAC) expansion in Homebush Bay, NSW, under a construction contract.

The project involved increasing the spectator capacity of the existing Aquatic Centre from 5,500 to 17,500 seats for the Olympic Games, with a post-Games reconfiguration to 8,000 seats. The works were delivered between June 1999 and July 2001, under a demanding schedule to ensure Olympic preparations were not compromised.

Key features of the project included:

• Prestressed precast concrete seating platforms supported by heavy structural steel raking beams
• Tubular steel roof trusses providing full-width column-free spans of over 100 metres
• Hollow-core precast concrete planks forming the upper concourse level
• Metal deck roofing and recyclable cladding to temporary wall ends
• Air conditioning systems servicing the fully enclosed building
• Seating for 12,000 patrons, five scoreboards, and two video screens

Challenges and sustainability outcomes:

• The Aquatic Centre remained open to the public throughout construction, including during the removal of the eastern façade
• Dust and noise levels were closely monitored to minimise disruption
• CPB Contractors proposed an alternative design concept during competitive tendering, delivering significant cost savings
• A $6 million variation was agreed to dismantle much of the temporary structure and adjust seating to its permanent configuration

In support of Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD), CPB negotiated an agreement with the Wollongong Sportsground Trust to re-use 90% of dismantled components in the construction of a new grandstand at WIN Stadium, Wollongong.

Construction was completed ahead of schedule, delivering a world-class facility that supported the success of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.