Projects

This project represented a major investment in competitive swimming in Scotland. The Olympic-standard centre features two halls housing the 50m ten-lane training pool and 25m pool, which has a full range of diving facilities (making it one of just ten centres in the UK to provide this).

The pools are separated by accommodation and changing rooms, allowing them to be used for different activities simultaneously, including school swimming lessons, fitness classes and training sessions.

The precise geometry and black zinc used for the pool hall stands in sharp juxtaposition to the taller, aluminium-clad diving hall.

Beacon of Light is a unique sport and education centre. The football-focused facility, located next to Sunderland AFC’s Stadium of Light, provides a vibrant environment for locals to socialise, learn and gain qualifications.

The building stacks a rooftop football barn on top of education and community facilities, maximising external space for revenue-generating 5-a-side pitches. The height of the building establishes it as a beacon, especially in the context of the neighbouring stadium.

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.

This velodrome was designed to demystify high-performance sport and make indoor cycling more accessible. The design team’s knowledge of community and elite sport, particularly the inter-relationships between cycling and other sports, were key to winning this commission.

As well as the cycling track, the centre has a running track looking out to the surrounding park, a sports hall, dance studios and a fitness suite, making it a dynamic venue for leisure and high-level training. The centre offers childcare and spaces for meetings and social events, as well as a café with views of the sports court.

Continuing FaulknerBrowns’ work with Durham University, we completed a remodel of their primary sports facility. This involved the refurbishment of existing facilities as well as an expansion, which included the addition of an indoor cricket hall, a 12-court multi-use sports hall, a martial arts studio and fitness suite, as well as sports science, recovery and support facilities.

The site is near a conservation area and has views of the Durham Castle and Cathedral UNESCO World Heritage Site. The design sensitively minimises the overall height of the development by adopting efficient forms and structures.