PROJECT REPORT: SPORTS & LEISURE FACILITIES 41
a focus on soft colour palettes, with warm materials and exposed timber instilling a sense of tranquility and relaxation,” explains Gowdridge. “In more active areas, signage and colour palettes are more vibrant, while still retaining optional private and quieter spaces.”
The facade design took inspiration from the locality. The overall approach was to make sure the building would make the most of its parkland location and blend public and private spaces, “to create an inviting environment and active frontage where the community can meet, play and exercise,” says Gowdridge. “The design embraces its parkland setting – drawing on familiar forms, colours, structures and materials – blending public and private spaces to create an active, welcoming frontage.”
The site is tightly constrained, so the design team came up with a “stacked” layout to make the most of the 9,000 m2 footprint. This allowed them to include 3G football pitches and community gardens on the roof and not lose space elsewhere on the site, maximising the area available for the leisure facilities. This also responded to concerns at the consultation stage about the impact that pitches would have on biodiversity, access routes and fl ooding. The materials used externally are textured brickwork, glazing, timber louvres and metallic panels, all of which “harmonise with the surrounding landscape,” Gowdridge explains. The brick, timber louvres and glazing were chosen due to their durability and connection to the character of local buildings, as well as their ability to provide both shading and privacy. “Large windows are framed with encased glazing and timber shading, balancing performance and privacy with architectural expression,” he adds. The metallic panels were selected due to their robustness and to make a strong contribution to the centre’s “visual identity.”
Precise construction The Eclipse centre was built using a bespoke ‘hybrid’ CLT structure designed by Engenuiti, which had benefi ts of being light weight while reducing embodied carbon. Parts of the structure have been left exposed including CLT soffi ts which, along with exposed glulam beams in the pool hall and communal areas, “lend warmth, clarity and a sense of craft to the internal spaces,” Gowdridge says. These natural materials
ADF SEPTEMBER 2025
feature alongside a palette of muted tones and soft textures, adding to the “calm and welcoming atmosphere.” The CLT structure was used alongside prefabricated elements which helped contractor Willmott Dixon improve the necessary precision for attaining Passivhaus certifi cation. Airtightness was a crucial priority during design and construction – though managing this while designing high-humidity spaces was a challenge, admits Gowdridge. The phased delivery also proved tricky to navigate and meant careful sequencing during construction was essential. As well as focusing on airtightness and precision during construction, other measures undertaken to achieve Passivhaus – in addition to high insulation
PROJECT FACTFILE
Architect: GT3 Architects Main Contractor: Willmott Dixon Structural Engineer: Engenuiti Passivhaus Consultant: Gale & Snowden Client: Spelthorne Borough Council Cost: £50m
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