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£33m multi-sport centre.


The building won the Future Building section at the 2016 Scottish Design Awards.


Home to a FIFA- accredited indoor synthetic 3G pitch, the largest of its type in Europe, with seating for 500.


12-court sports hall, eight squash courts and a four-court sports hall.


Fitness centres with over 80 group exercise classes per week.


Other facilities include a high performance medical centre, hydrotherapy pool and rehabilitation area.


Sitting on Scotland’s gold mine


Heriot-Watt University’s ethos has always been to aim for excellence on a global scale, so it seems fitting that the parkland of the Edinburgh campus has become the home of Scotland’s Sports Performance Centre – a world-class facility providing the country’s top sportsmen and women, coaches and officials with the exceptional environment and support services pivotal for success on the international stage.


When the Scottish Government committed £25 million of funding for the centre back in 2012, Heriot-Watt, in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and with support from sportscotland, won the bid to host and operate the purpose- built sports facility. Named Oriam, it opened its doors in autumn this year.


Catriona McAllister, Oriam’s chief executive, said of the centre’s opening: “This has been an all-consuming project for more than four years. It’s incredible to see the project now it is completed. We must thank the Scottish Government, sportscotland, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh City Council, our contractors Bowmer and Kirkland and our partner sports for the integral part they have played in the process. We believe Oriam will inspire future generations to aim for sporting excellence.”


The name Oriam is derived from the Gaelic word “or” meaning gold – giving the name the meaning “I am gold” – immediately laying out the centre’s vision and mission to let Scotland’s future as a force in world sport flourish.


Oriam houses a medal-worthy array of facilities, including the biggest indoor 3G pitch in Europe; a twelve-court


Heriot-Watt University www.alumni.hw.ac.uk


sports hall; full-size, outdoor synthetic pitch; five outdoor grass football and two grass rugby pitches; an extensive fitness suite with a programme of more than 80 fitness classes every week; office and conference accommodation and a bistro kitchen.


In addition Oriam boasts a performance wing for sports science and medicine, which includes a strength and conditioning area and a rehabilitation centre with hydrotherapy pool and built-in underwater treadmill. All of which comes in handy when you are the performance base for the Scottish Football Association, Scottish Rugby Union, sportscotland and the Scottish national teams of Basketball Scotland, Scottish Handball, Scottish Squash and Racketball and Scottish Netball.


The centre also provides the perfect setting for the inspiration and advancement of Heriot-Watt’s up- and-coming student athletes through the Talent Development Programme, building on 20 years of success in delivering sports scholarships to athletes studying at our Edinburgh campus. These scholarships are generously supported by alumni and friends of the University, offering


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