Exeter University, Devon, UK.
Addition of new sports facilities to the existing, which included a hockey pitch and games area, and out-door tennis courts. This substantial expansion presented challenges the need to create a sense of overall cohesion, within the sports centre and as a whole, and maintaining student usage throughout the construction process within busy existing routes.
The new facilities provided are: a two-storey health and fitness centre; tensile covering to the existing out-door tennis courts; changing pavilion; spectator seating arranged around the refurbished all-weather hockey pitch (a centre-piece of the park).
The design development required a high level of analysis and collaboration, including with the University’s design studio on “branding” for the entrance. The new Fitness Centre building is BREEAM ‘excellent’ rated. The large roof expanse provides a natural, unobtrusive setting for extensive solar PV panels.
