Melbourne University Boat Sheds Redevelopment
Melbourne University Boat Shed Redevelopment
Client
Melbourne University Sport
Location
Melbourne VIC
Architect
Lovell Chan
Budget
$6.7 million
Traditional Custodians
Wurundjeri
The $6.7 million redevelopment of Melbourne University Boat Club extends the legacy of one of Australia’s oldest sporting institutions, repositioning its heritage-listed 1909 boatshed as a future-ready rowing and community venue. Located on Boathouse Drive, the expanded facility balances heritage and contemporary design to meet the demands of a growing membership while securing the club’s role in Melbourne’s active waterfront precinct.
Informed by targeted stakeholder consultation, Maytrix informed design to optimise meeting and events spaces for flexible programming, and scoped the operational framework and managed operator procurement to balance complex scheduling demands and long-term revenue opportunities for sustainable operations. The model integrates elite rowing operations and expanded membership with community programming, event hire and alumni engagement — ensuring full activation while safeguarding long-term financial viability.
Set along the Yarra River within Melbourne’s historic Boathouse Row — a precinct central to the city’s sporting and cultural heritage since the 19th century — Melbourne University Boat Club was established in 1859, just four years after the University of Melbourne opened. As the last of the historic boathouses, it has produced numerous national, Commonwealth, World, and Olympic champions and remains central to Melbourne’s evolving identity.
Praised as a model for heritage redevelopment in public sporting infrastructure, the extension addresses storage, club facilities and integrates flexible multi-purpose spaces for social events and functions, ensuring the club’s ongoing legacy and community role. The three-storey extension preserves the scale and character of the original structure while introducing modern boat storage, accessible facilities, and flexible meeting and event spaces within a constrained footprint. Outdoor terraces and new landscaped connections open the Boatshed to the riverfront, reinforcing its place in Melbourne’s sporting landscape and enabling activation beyond rowing.
The Melbourne University Boat Club defines a contemporary model for adaptive sports infrastructure — preserving its historic identity while meeting modern operational and community needs. Our approach builds on collaborations with Melbourne University Sport and extensive experience across sport, education and civic venues — spanning operational strategy, tenancy planning, hospitality design and procurement. The integrated model delivers sustainable activation, financial resilience and enduring community value.
Melbourne University Boat Shed Extension
Image - Lovell Chan
Melbourne University Boat Shed Extension
Image - Lovell Chan
Melbourne University Boat Shed Extension
Image - Lovell Chan
Melbourne University Boat Shed Extension
Image - Lovell Chan
Awards
– 2013 Australian Steel Institute – Steel Excellence Award (VIC/TAS), Buildings – Small Projects (Finalist)
– 2020 AIA (VIC Chapter) – John George Knight Award, Heritage Architecture
– 2020 AIA (VIC Chapter) – Public Architecture (Commendation)
