Doomben Members Bar and Mounting Yard

The project involved a complete internal refurbishment of the ground level of the existing 1920s Members Grandstand and the design stage identified a range of opportunities for the Brisbane Racing Club if they were willing to radically change the way a race day operates on course.

The design brief developed by the architects on the project mirrored the existing operations by relocating the jockeys and horses to the rear of the grandstand.  This in turn opened up the track side ground level to become a new member's bar and lawn area fronting the racetrack. This converted the rear of the grandstand from a disused area on race day to a lively, animated and heavily patronised space.  Vision is now possible from all sides of the mounting yard as well as from various upper level balcony areas that previously had no outlook.

A simplistic, modern colour scheme has been applied throughout the internal spaces with an emphasis on natural materials (stained plywood) to offset the clean lines of the new bar and textured materials (existing stucco), visually celebrating the previous built form. The covered outdoor terrace serves as an extension of the bar area with equal access to the racetrack and a plethora of television screens.