It is one of the most iconic stadiums in the world, with a capacity of 100,000 spectators. The Melbourne Cricket Ground is the largest stadium in Australia and regularly hosts major national and international sports events.
The Olympic stadium, originally built in 1853, was extensively developed between 2002 and 2006, and this year has seen further sensitive refurbishment to interior public areas, which also contain the National Sports Museum and archive.
Interior designs had to be sensitive to the stadium’s international status, as well as to its multi-sport heritage. In fulfilling the challenge, the Melbourne-based design team of Cunningham-Martyn adopted bold, modern colours to introduce contemporary style to its historical legacy.
The dramatic colourways – in reds, blues, greens and yellows – are designed to flow off the walls and across the floors, creating interior spaces filled with drama – perceptually linking the interior space with the exterior drama in the stadium.
The design was realised by using carpet tiles from DESSO, the international carpet manufacturer, whose comprehensive ranges were able to meet the project requirements of colour, style, durability and – not least - environmental responsibility.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground was the main stadium for the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 1956 Olympic Games – and has hosted FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and the 1992 Cricket World Cup.
It is managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) which has over 100,000 members, the largest membership of any sporting organisation in Australia.
The MCC operates to strict principles of sustainability. For example, since the introduction of a closed loop recycling program at the stadium, approximately 72% of all waste generated is now recycled.
DESSO’s commitment to the environment is reflected in its partnership with the Hamburg-based Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency (EPEA - http://www.epea.com).
Production waste from DESSO factories is now 78% recycled, and packaging waste 98% recycled; all the company’s plants have been moving to green electricity and it is progressively pioneering projects to take back customers' carpet for reprocessing.
“Our carpet ranges provide complete carpet solutions for our customers worldwide. However, the importance of our commitments to the environment are increasingly being recognised, with more and more companies adopting stringent procurement policies for environmental practice,” said Tony Gloudemans, DESSO’s sales agent in Australia.
About DESSOToday, DESSO can look back on almost 80 years of proven performance, having built a reputation as a leading manufacturer of high quality carpet tiles and broadloom. DESSO has four factories and two major distribution centres in Europe, as well as specialist customer service centres throughout Europe, America, Asia, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Australasia.
DESSO products are specifically designed for both commercial and domestic applications. Its commercial product offering can be found in offices, banks, retail units, public buildings, schools, universities and care centres. Clients include Allianz, Canon, EDF, HSBC, Porsche, Procter & Gamble, SNCF, Nestlé and many more. DESSO Consumer Carpets is represented by three strong brands: Parade, Bonaparte and DESSO.
DESSO’s creative carpet design and service oriented approach means that it has become a market leader in developing solutions for the Hospitality, Marine and Aviation (HMA) markets. DESSO’s HMA division works with companies such as Hilton, InterContinental, Maritime, KLM, Virgin, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and Holland America Line.
DESSO Sports Systems leads the market in the provision of artificial turf for sports fields and reinforced natural grass systems that provide the perfect surface at every level of sport. Our product range includes DESSO GrassMaster®, a sports field of 100% natural grass reinforced with DESSO synthetic grass fibres.
DESSO’s innovation strategy is concentrated in three key areas: Creativity, Functionality and Cradle to Cradle®. For DESSO, Creativity is synonymous with CARPETECTURE®, which is a powerful example of DESSO’s commitment to creative carpet design and its dedication to meet the needs of architects, interior designers, building owners and end users. In the field of Functionality, DESSO develops pioneering solutions that make a difference for health, wellness and wellbeing.
Cradle to Cradle®In signing a partnership agreement with the Hamburg-based Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency (EPEA), DESSO has become the first carpet manufacturer in EMEA to adopt Cradle to Cradle® principles. It marks DESSO’s radical decision to move beyond ‘mere’ sustainability in producing its carpets and artificial grass. In Cradle to Cradle® principles, products are made from pure components that are easy to disassemble in order to create new products (= up-cycling) in both the biological and technical cycles.
