Sports Centre in Nottingham

The project brief was for the design of a sports centre including an Olympic size swimming pool, a leisure pool and a sports hall as well as supporting admin and public facilities. An additional open air multipurpose space with viewing steps has been designed as an extention of the enclosed internal area. The three main venues can be immediately recognised under the three copper arched roofs. The complex is to be open to the public and operate as a social hub for the neighbouring areas.
 
The site is located next to a railway line that has divided these areas and one of the challenges of the new scheme was to try and reinstate their connection. In order to achieve this with the most effortless and subtle way, the central roof of the complex is designed as a ramp that begins from street level and rises above the main entrance between the three venues and from there continues as a bridge that links the gap of the railway lines.
 
The size of the ramp and the low pitch of the roof intent to transform this ramp in the form of the pedestrian road and welcome street events. The visual conection with the sports venues allowes the ramp to become a vewing platform or – depending on the programme fo the events – become a stage that houses some of the events.
 
The structure of the main venues consists of three copper-clad domes supported on arched steel trusses that allow wide multi-storey spans, as required for the sport venues. The social character of the complex and the connection with the neighbourhood is encouraged by the transparency of the extensive glazing on the external envelope.