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Cairns International Tennis Facility
Cairns International Tennis Facility
With our tropical climate in North Queensland, a joint initiative between Cairns Regional Council, Tennis Queensland and the Queensland Department of Sport & Recreation was chartered to encourage more Queenslanders to get active through sport and recreation with the benefit of an International Tennis Centre as their playground.
The Cairns International Tennis Centre is an international standard tennis facility comprising of twelve Plexicusion Tennis Courts including four miniature tennis courts and a centre show court. A two story clubhouse facility was architecturally designed to capture the tropical breezes and meet the current energy efficiency requirements mandated by today’s building standards. The facility incorporates a function room, kiosk, gym, physio / massage rooms, conference rooms, pro shop as well as a large covered verandah overlooking the total tennis court complex.
Our challenge was to provide an international level of illumination to the tennis courts as well as conform to strict guidelines set by Council & CASA due to the obtrusive light restrictions and the flight path for the Cairns International Airport being directly overhead of the facility.
The twelve tennis courts were required to be illuminated to 500 lux with a higher level of uniformity than the current Australian Standards for outdoor tennis set by Tennis Queensland. The centre court has been illuminated to meet 1200lux to which allow the Davis Cup to be televised for the September tournament.
Traditional in design, Tennis Queensland required a side pole scheme allowing a minimum of six poles per court for the complex. Due to the tennis court complex layout, dividing fence positions, pole height restrictions, spill light requirements and civil constraints MGF required a purpose built solution to reduce the requirement for abnormally large outreaches previously required on similar projects. To meet AS2560 distance to height formulas a 1200-1500mm outreach would be required due to the offset locations nominated for the poles. Recognizing the potential visual complexity and robust engineering required to support these outreaches we identified that a less obtrusive approach to the solution would ultimately be preferred. After researching the photometry required to reduce the visual aspect MGF worked with lighting manufacturer we-ef lighting to optimize their standard Tennis Court Flood light. With a modular reflector, lamp system & control gear system we-ef lighting were able to produce the desired peak intensity angle to meet the lighting uniformities and lux levels required. The new optimized floodlight enabled we-ef to incorporate their standard outreach to the majority of the fittings with the only exception being the centre court which required 900mm fabricated outreaches. The final product provided a minimized pole / floodlight combination which resulted in improved aesthetics, particularly when viewed from the clubhouse.
Control of the tennis courts was achieved using a Clipsal C-Bus touch screen. The C-Bus touch screen allows flexibility within the complex with the ability to provide programming variations when required without the requirement for additional re-wiring.
The balance of the complex comprised the clubhouse, car parking zones and landscaping. These elements were illuminated to compliment the facility and are also controlled via a smart wiring approach. Various areas and rooms within the building are controlled via PIR movement sensors and daylight control to meet the current BCAJ6 energy efficiency requirements.
The complex was completed on schedule and within budget in time to host the 2010 Davis Cup Tournament with outstanding results.
Mother of Good Counsel Church
Mother of Good Counsel is a heritage-listed Catholic Church in Innisfail, Far North Queensland. Completed in 1928 (following the previous church’s destruction in a tropical cyclone) the church was again damaged in 2006 by Cyclone Larry, prompting this refurbishment.
Steve Gleeson Architects conceptualized a lighting scheme using aimed uplighting from wall brackets (replicas of the existing ones ‘bush engineered’ form water-pipe and flat-iron) to accent structural elements and reflect light off the high raked ceiling. MGF Consultants developed and realised this design concept:
The Nave is lit using sixteen lighting brackets each with three Lumascape ‘Omnio’ 70W CDM-R spotlights arranged somewhat like a candelabra. On alternating brackets one uplight is substituted for an MR16 spotlight – Lumascape ‘Omnio Mini’ – which provides supplementary reading light to the pews. Side Aisles are indirectly lit by MR16 spotlights, discretely located and aimed on to devotional items.
The Sanctuary is lit by concealed fluorescent battens which evenly wash bright, cool light across the ‘Heavens’. Due to difficult maintenance access, extra-long life fluorescent lamps and ballasts were specified with ‘planned failure’ for 60,000 hours of maintenance-free service.
The lighting effect sits well with the Catholic Liturgy: A distinct hierarchy is effected from the Sanctuary to the Nave, Aisles, and exterior. Devotional elements such as the Tabernacle, Cross, Stations, and Shrine are accented above the general illumination.
The lighting effect in the Nave may be described as ‘festive’ while the Sanctuary is more ‘austere’. The mix of indirect light and some direct elements gives an overall ‘soft’ but not ‘flat’ effect. An unusual effect is produced by intense uplight on the base of each pier producing a reflected image in the gloss of the side walls.
Vision is well provided for, with moderate general illumination levels suitable to the users including the aged. The extensive use of reflected light and illumination of vertical surfaces also provides excellent conditions for photography.
