News
2012 PARALYMPICS & 2010 BLIND FOOTBALL WORLD CUP VENUE DESIGNED BY BRISTOL ARCHITECTS
Bristol-based Willmore Iles
Architects has designed a building that will feature as a training venue for the 2012 Paralympics and act as host for the 2010 World Blind Football Championship. The state-of-the-art ‘thePoint4’ sports facility at the Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford has been selected for both prestigious events thanks to its considered design featuring subtle sensory indicators to aid way-finding and movement for its blind and visually impaired students. The £15 million development, designed by Willmore Iles Architects, was chosen in part for the indoor and outdoor football pitches that feature a unique acoustic treatment and visual cues designed for blind and visually impaired users. The pitches are sized for Futsal, the international fast-paced version of five-a-side football and the centre will host the IBSA 2010 World Blind Football
TOP SURF IN HEWORTH
Indoor surfing in Gateshead is
one wave closer to reality after the topping out ceremony of a new multi-million pound leisure centre. Heworth Leisure Centre on High Lanes in Heworth is set to open its doors this summer with the first indoor boarding facility in the North East. The innovative ‘FlowRider’ system allows water sports fans to ride the waves all year round, no matter what the weather outside, and will be one of only a handful across the UK. To celebrate the latest
milestone in the project – completion of the striking curved roof – a traditional topping out ceremony was held, featuring Councillor Linda Green and future centre-user, student Darren Crane from Heworth Grange School. As part of the ceremony, Councillor Green and Darren enjoyed their first look at the finished rolling roof, which strongly resembles one of the waves soon to be seen inside the centre. With the exterior now complete,
work begins on the internal fit-out of the building. As well as the first indoor boarding facility in the North East, the centre will feature
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a 25 m four lane swimming pool, a separate learner pool, a toddler pool and a gym. A multi purpose room and extra changing facilities for outdoor sports will also be included. Once open the new centre will replace nearby 1963-built Felling Pool. Gateshead Council cabinet member for culture Cllr Linda Green said: “Gateshead is ‘European City of Sport for 2010’, so the topping out of this exciting new leisure centre couldn’t be more timely. In Gateshead we are committed to providing excellent leisure and sports facilities, along with hundreds of active
opportunities for Gateshead residents, so that they can be inspired to lead active and healthy lives. “We are very proud to be the
first to bring activities such as indoor surfing to the region and I’m sure thousands of local people will enjoy the facilities here for many years to come.” Future centre-user, 16-year-old
Darren Crane, is one of those looking forward to the centre’s opening. He said: “Indoor surfing looks like great fun and I can’t wait to try it when this building opens in the summer. I love sport and keeping healthy in general so
it will be great to have all these facilities right on my doorstep.” Heworth Leisure Centre is the second of two brand new leisure centres set to open as part of Gateshead Council’s £29 million Building an Active Future programme. Work on the first in Blaydon is also rapidly progressing with completion expected in the autumn. Gateshead Leisure Centre,
Birtley and Dunston pools are also being heavily redeveloped as part of the programme and Gateshead Leisure Centre will be the first of these to open its doors in April.
Championships in August. Andrew Iles, co-director of
Willmore Iles, said: “We feel the selection of the Point4 centre for both of these events, has really rubber-stamped the success of our designs at the Royal National College for the Blind. We made a huge effort for our client in providing them with a venue that not only performs perfectly for their needs but offers a world class facility for disabled sport in general. The fact that worldwide sporting organisations are now hosting major events here has validated the success of the project.” The centre also features a community gym, complementary therapy centre, hydrotherapy pool, teaching rooms, café and conference facilities. The sports and teaching facilities are supported by a 56 bedroom ‘Young Learners Village’ for blind and visually impaired students, also designed by Willmore Iles.
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