Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Qld, Australia

Client: Stadiums Queensland

Contractor: Tristate Electrical / Signify

Completion: 2021

Dubbed ‘the best rectangular stadium in the world’, Suncorp Stadium is a world-class, major sporting and entertainment arena situated close to Brisbane’s city centre. It can seat more than 52,500 people and hosts a variety of entertainment events including rugby league, rugby union, soccer, boxing, extreme sports and concerts. The stadium is home to Brisbane’s elite rugby league team, the Brisbane Broncos.

The thematic lighting installation at Suncorp Stadium takes the spectator experience to a new level. With a selection of over 500 RGBW luminaires across the Signify range installed in strategic locations throughout the venue, hirers are able to ‘paint’ the complete extent of the roof with their team or corporate colours. The lighting arrangement plays off the iconic roof architecture, utilising the structural beams to segregate the roof into blocks which can be individually illuminated to create contrast between two or more colours, or blended into a gradient.

Bringing team colours to the exterior of the venue – the overhanging roof edges, or ‘eyebrows’ – was paramount to the project, with particular attention paid to the visual impact of the primary Caxton Street and Milton Road approaches.

Controlled by a Pharos DMX lighting control system which also controls the venue’s sports lighting installation, venue hirers are provided with complete control over the main stadium lighting to create static scenes and dynamic light shows to amplify the atmosphere for spectators. The Pharos control system also has external interfaces which can be employed by production teams to synchronise the lighting show with audio visual, music and pyrotechnics shows, delivering a seamless, dynamic and semi-immersive overall spectator experience.

The installation was unveiled in time for the 2021 NRL Grand Final and won immediate patron acclaim. It was also awarded two IESANZ Queensland Awards – the People’s Choice Award and a Commendation Award.