A new renewable-energy powered indoor snow centre planned to be built near Sydney has unveiled its final architectural designs.

The exterior architectural designs for Winter Sports World, which is proposed to be built at Penrith in New South Wales, were created by boutique Sydney architecture firm Collins & Turner, who describe it as, “a snow cloud above a hill”.

In a press statement Winter Sports World describe the designs as, “A unique alpine exterior with “ice shard” details, night lights and subtle textural surfaces to evoke the appearance of a “blizzard’’, inspired by the melting of glacial ice and the flow of water to the nearby Dyarubbin (Nepean River).”

But they note others have nicknamed it “the giant Esky”.

The snow centre has been on the drawing board since 2015, overcoming initial planning concerns, reported by local media, regarding the building’s height in an area previously zoned for relatively low level constructions. Most recently local developer Peter Magnisalis lodged a development application of state significance for Winter Sports World with the NSW Department of Planning and Environment on 11 November 2022.

Mr Magnisalis said he was relieved to finally lodge the State Significant Development Application (SSDA).

“Seven years after the initial idea, Winter Sports World can finally take real shape,” said Mr Magnisalis, “Collins & Turner have exceeded my expectations. They appreciate the vision and understand the practical requirements of Winter Sports World and have delivered a design of outstanding beauty and uniqueness to an international standard as a landmark of significance.”

There are currently no indoor snow centres in Australia but the country has played an important part in their development worldwide, being home to a number of indoor snow businesses, over the past four decades. It also formerly housed one of the world’s first three indoor snow facilities in the late 1980s which remained open to the early 2000s.

Indoor snow centres have increasingly moved to maximise the use of green energy, with several centres in Europe boasting the continent’s biggest solar arrays on their rooves, collecting enough energy to cover their operating needs. The recently opened SNO centre near Oslo in Norway generates more green energy than it needs to run, exporting the excess to adjacent public and private buildings.