Projects

FaulknerBrowns’ aim for Carre de Soie was to revitalise this former industrial district into a vibrant retail and leisure destination. The 240-hectare site features a new horse-racing grandstand, pony club, skate park, restaurants, cinema and boutiques. The fact that every rental unit was let prior to completion speaks to the success of the development.

A flowing, steel lattice-work canopy connects the units and covers the main ‘avenue’, providing a modern, distinctive identity. The design prioritises sustainability and green spaces, and is pedestrian-friendly, making it a model for contemporary urban regeneration in France.

This venue is set to become a landmark for both Dublin and Ireland as part of the Sport Ireland Campus masterplan, providing Cricket Ireland with a permanent, world-class home. The centre will promote and support cricket at international, national, and local community levels.

Building on the existing high-performance cricket centre, which currently includes five synthetic nets, sixteen grass nets, and a fielding area, the new development will introduce key improvements, including an international-standard cricket oval and more spectator seating.

This landmark venue will house the first indoor velodrome track in Ireland, creating a permanent home for Cycling Ireland and elite cycling athletes, while helping to promote the sport and its health and wellbeing benefits to the wider community.

Located on the Sport Ireland Campus in Blanchardstown, Dublin, the centre will be suitable to host national and small-to-mid-scale international cycling competitions, as well as a variety of other events. The building and surrounding landscape will create an iconic entrance gateway to the campus at the northern corner of the site, as part of a long-term plan for wider development.

A key aspect of the proposal is to construct the cycling track at first floor level, which allows direct access to the infield area. This maximises utilisation of the space, with the potential for a range of activities, including badminton, basketball and volleyball.

Sustainability has been integral to the design process, from the building form, through to the choice of materials and the design of the engineering systems. The building will use a passive and natural approach to reduce the carbon footprint in both construction and operation.

The Nieuw Vennep Sport Centrum in the Netherlands is one of Europe’s most dynamic sports facilities. It houses a 25-metre pool, 20-metre training pool and children’s fun pools, as well as outdoor kids’ pools and a 25-metre pool based on a traditional lido. Visitors can also enjoy the sports hall, fitness suite, sauna and steam rooms, and dance studios.

We maximised flexibility by implementing drop-down acoustic screens to divide the hall, movable pool floors to maximise swim-training potential and screens to divide the dance studios. We also incorporated solar panels and heat recovery systems, in line with the Dutch commitment to environmental responsibility.

FaulknerBrowns won an international competition to design a flexible community pool in the Netherlands. Our aim for Nijmegen was to create a beautiful and sustainable swimming facility that would blend into the tranquil, green surroundings and evoke the sensation of swimming in the woods.

We used carefully selected materials and techniques to meet sustainability goals and ensure energy efficiency. The polished stainless-steel cladding reflects surrounding greenery and provides insulation. Both water and heat are recovered and reused inside, partly for underfloor heating, which—along with the wood-panelled ceilings—provides a cosy and inviting atmosphere.

We were one of twelve international architects to compete for the design of this major leisure centre in the Netherlands. The complex contains an Olympic-sized ice rink with leisure ice trails, a large multi-purpose sports hall, health suite and sauna, function rooms and three pools. Additionally, the AquaFun family area features a wave pool and lazy river with a Hawaiian theme–injecting colour and playfulness into the space. Visitors can also relax in the viewing areas, cafés and restaurants.