Projects

This landmark project broadened the definition of leisure buildings and became the standard against which future recreation projects would be measured.

The building is recognised by the distinctive glazed pyramid that houses a 300m2 ‘leisure lagoon’—the UK’s first leisure pool. The facility also includes a sports hall, bowling green, youth club, theatre and bowling alley, making it a comprehensive hub for recreation and community-building. Its success spurred the English Sports Council to add leisure to its existing remit for sport, making this project one that changed the public experience of sport.

Darlington Town Hall marks the first phase of the town centre’s redevelopment. Located next to the historic St. Cuthbert’s Church, FaulknerBrowns carefully designed the building to complement and respect its medieval architecture.

The design comprises three main elements: the administrative offices, the council suite and a separate block between the offices and the river to house the Medical Officer of Health's department.

We created the structures from reinforced concrete and steel. We finished the building with precast concrete cladding panels, a warm grey Cornish granite aggregate and bronze tinted glass.

FaulknerBrowns’ decision to move offices stemmed from the need for a more flexible and cohesive workspace that lent itself to collaboration between teams. None of the existing offices in the area met our needs, so, appropriately, we designed and built our own.

We believe this building was the first in the North East to embody Bürolandschaft principles—a German office design movement that centres flexible working over rigid layouts. The building is single storey and was originally divided into three parts: one Bürolandschaft space (to this day still accommodating all of our design staff), a library and secretary space. An additional suite housed the administrative staff, print machine, model room and coffee area.

Designed and built in ten months, the building’s structure comprises an industrial steel framework and the external walls are made of dark brown brick and bronze-tinted glass.

This plan was designed to encourage family participation, with leisure components given equal importance to high-quality competitive sports facilities. We adapted the building to the restricted site by designing it to be compact in form, while still housing three levels of accommodation between the main sports hall and pool hall.

With a desire to eliminate glare from the pool and activity spaces, the steel-framed building is inward looking and predominantly brick in finish. The major spaces are illuminated by roof lights, while suspended acoustic ceilings help diffuse light and manage sound.

The East Stand was the first phase of redevelopment for Newcastle United Football Club’s existing stadium in 1972. FaulknerBrowns designed the East Stand for longevity, recognising the enduring role it would need to play over the coming decades.

The site dimensions were limited to the east by trees, which were retained, and the need to respect the right to light for the neighbouring Leazes Terrace—a Grade I-listed terraced residence. To the west we were constrained by the need to keep the existing pitch, and to the north by the existing covered stand.

A continuous band of turnstiles ensures safe access and prevents over-crowding. The concrete columns and frame of the external structure are ribbed vertically, exposing the local stone used beneath. The stand also features large glass panels, plastic seats, and galvanised handrails, designed to be practical and durable.