Dramatic design unveiled for indoor Swindon ski centre inspired by railway heritage
by Kim Megson | 07 Feb 2018
The complex will bring a neglected site back into use and provide visitors with a memorable experience, both on and off the slopes
– Russ Davenport, FaulknerBrowns partner
Sports and leisure specialists FaulknerBrowns Architects have submitted a planning application for a major new indoor snow centre and leisure destination in Swindon, UK.
Plans for the destination include a 2,00sq m (21,500sq ft) snow centre featuring two real-snow slopes; a 12-screen cinema with the largest IMAX screen in the UK; a bowling alley; an indoor trampolining centre; a 130-room hotel; and a variety of shops, bars and restaurants.
The project is being developed by Seven Capital, and, if approved by Swindon Borough Council, it will become the seventh indoor slope in the UK.
The scheme, earmarked as a priority by the council, will bring back into use former-industrial land to the north of Swindon town centre known as the North Star site.
The land, which sits adjacent to Oasis Leisure Centre, was previously occupied by the Great Western Railway Works – demolished almost a decade ago to make way for redevelopment.
In reference to this railway heritage, the design of the centre’s sweeping roof structure bears similarities with curved Victorian railway stations, such as Bristol Temple Meads a few stops down the track from Swindon. Enveloping steel columns, vertical brick piers and a two-storey brick arched base also echo this heritage, with the latter creating a framework for shop fronts.
The two linear convergent slopes inside the building frame the corner of the site and form a backdrop for a circular rotunda, which contains restaurants with external ‘terraces’ on the ground floor and the multiplex cinema above. The main building and the rotunda are linked by a dramatic glass atrium which provides a theatrical entrance space to the complex.
This is the fifth indoor ski centre designed by FaulknerBrowns. Partner Russ Davenport said: “It’s fantastic to be able to bring our experience and expertise in indoor snow and leisure destinations to Swindon for this exciting development.
“The complex will bring a neglected site back into use and provide visitors with a memorable experience, both on and off the slopes.”
The practice are currently working on a host of other leisure projects, including a sustainable sports facility for the University of Portsmouth, an indoor waterpark in Coventry, a swimming and leisure facility in Derby and a regeneration scheme in Bangor, Northern Ireland.
FaulknerBrowns ski centre Seven Capital Swindon Borough Council
The centre will have two real-snow slopes; a twelve screen cinema with the largest IMAX screen in the UK; a bowling alley; an indoor trampolining centre; a hotel; shops and restaurants / FaulknerBrowns
In reference to the railway heritage, the design of the centre’s sweeping roof structure bears similarities with curved Victorian railway stations / FaulknerBrowns
A circular rotunda contains restaurants with external ‘terraces’ on the ground floor and ta multiplex cinema above / FaulknerBrowns
FaulknerBrowns targets new standards for sustainability with Portsmouth sports complex
Final design drawings revealed for power plant's rooftop ski slope and park
FaulknerBrowns reveal modular stacked design for Derby swimming complex
Summit Powder Mountain 'innovation community' takes shape on Utah ski slopes
FaulknerBrowns Architects to design £50m sports complex for University of Portsmouth
FaulknerBrowns to masterplan '21st century seaside destination' in Bangor
French Alps resort plans 400m indoor ski slope to allow year-round skiing
‘Game-changing’ Coventry Water Park gets green light from council
Sports and leisure specialists FaulknerBrowns Architects have submitted a planning application for a major new indoor snow centre and leisure destination in Swindon, UK. Plans for the destination include a 2,00sq m (21,500sq ft) snow centre featuring two real-snow slopes; a 12-screen cinema with the largest IMAX screen in the UK; a bowling alley; an indoor trampolining centre; a 130-room hotel; and a variety of shops, bars and restaurants. The
CLD,SAR,VAT,ARC,DES,DEV
More news
Hard Rock Hotel to bring its iconic "rock star service" to London
by Andrew Manns | 22 Feb 2019
Scheduled to open on 30 April – the Hard Rock Hotel London will feature a specialised "Rock Om" yoga experience with music-led meditations sessions, as well as the brand's trademark restaurant and shop. Comprising 900 rooms, all of which were integrated into the still operating Cumberland Hotel in the West End, the new destination is the result of a collaboration between Hard Rock International and glh Hotels – the largest
Lemay and Sid Lee design upscale hotel on Montreal's Golden Square Mile
by Andrew Manns | 21 Feb 2019
International hospitality company Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has announced that its long-anticipated resort will throw open its doors on 1 June, ahead of the Montreal Grand Prix. Featuring 169 guest rooms and 18 private residences, Four Seasons Montreal will comprise a pool, spa with eight treatment rooms, fitness centre, and ballroom with an outdoor terrace. The property will also be home to MARCUS – the first restaurant by celebrity
Melike Altinisik Architects chosen to create self-constructing robot museum in South Korea
by Andrew Manns | 20 Feb 2019
Turkish design bureau Melike Altinisik Architects (MAA) have been selected to build a museum of robotics with components that "construct themselves". Located in Seoul, the future Robot Science Museum (RSM), which will have a globular as opposed to orthogonal form to provide a "wide range of possibilities for connection with urban orientation and public spaces", will rise four storeys and comprise three exhibition areas, a museum shop, offices, and a
First-of-its-kind medical gym set to debut at the Arts Club in London
by Andrew Manns | 20 Feb 2019
The latest venture from German wellness operator, Lanserhof, is scheduled to open in May at the Arts Club in London. Designed by Dusseldorf-based firm Ingenhoven Architects, the six-storey gym – situated opposite the club on Dover Market Street in Mayfair – will be the first facility of its kind to offer club members an MRI scan as part of its tailored training programme. Members will also have access to additional
Reimagined TWA Flight Center readies for May take-off
by Andrew Manns | 19 Feb 2019
The Eero Saarinen-designed Trans World Airlines (TWA) Flight Center – arguably the most iconic example of Space Age neo-futuristic architecture – is set to reopen its doors at JFK Airport on 15 May. The air terminal, which – according to Saarinen – was designed to express "man's desire to conquer gravity" as well as the "drama and excitement of travel", will now be a leisure epicentre, featuring eight bars, six
BEHF complete work on historic restaurant in Austria
by Andrew Manns | 19 Feb 2019
Design firm BEHF Architekten have remodelled the Koller + Koller im Waagplatz restaurant in Salzburg, Austria. The architects' six-month intervention saw the 170 sq m tagesbar (day bar) – which is housed in a building dating to the Middle Ages – gain renovated entrance, dining, and sanitary facilities. According to BEHF, the firm sourced natural materials from Salzburg, Styria, and Lower Austria to refurbish Koller + Koller's unused or outdated
Grit and glamour: Chapter Roma Hotel gears up for spring debut
by Andrew Manns | 18 Feb 2019
Created by South African interior designers Studio A, Chapter Roma Hotel is slated to open in Rome this March. The 42-room hotel, which will launch on the Via di Santa Maria dei Calderari in Rome's Regola neighbourhood, will feature a bar, restaurant, and daytime market. Housed in a brick building that dates to the 19th century, Chapter Roma will exude an industrial chic aesthetic, incorporating a number of exposed and
Schmidt Hammer Lassen to restore Boston's Seaport World Trade Center
by Andrew Manns | 18 Feb 2019
Danish architecture practice Schmidt Hammer Lassen (SHL) have unveiled images of their new design for the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston. The architects'' intervention will see the maritime landmark – once the largest pier building in the world – expanded to include 15,200 sq m of public realm. Located on the 118-year-old Commonwealth Pier, the new mixed-use property will play host to a waterfront plaza with multiple courtyards, promenades,
OPEN Architecture design soulful "Chapel of Sound" in China
by Andrew Manns | 15 Feb 2019
Chinese architecture practice OPEN have unveiled renderings of the Chapel of Sound – a cavernous amphitheatre currently under construction north of Beijing, outside the city of Chengde. The 790 sq m, roofless structure – shaped to resemble the curvilinear appearance of mollusc shells and human ears – will function as a concert venue and community space. The Chapel will also feature as a kind of temple to nature, providing panoramic
3XN Architects win contract to build multipurpose arena in Munich
by Andrew Manns | 14 Feb 2019
Danish architecture firm 3XN have been tapped to build an as-yet-unnamed stadium in Munich's Olympic Park. Set to occupy the site of the recently demolished Radstadion velodrome – the arena will feature three canopied ice rinks and an oval-shaped green roof that merges with the surrounding park landscape. Landscape design for the al fresco space and the ground-level concourse will be carried out by Latz + Partner. Another notable element
L'Avenue restaurant brings the French Alps to Fifth Avenue
by Andrew Manns | 14 Feb 2019
The first iteration of the popular Paris dining concept L'Avenue has opened its doors at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York. Designed by French art director and interior specialist Philippe Starck, L'Avenue stretches across the luxury emporium's 8th and 9th floors and boasts a wunderkammer-style main dining room as well as a lounge modelled after an alpine ski lodge. Dubbed the "Salon", the dining area, which Starck has called an
Ian Schrager's Edition Times Square eyes March opening
by Andrew Manns | 13 Feb 2019
The latest incarnation of Ian Schrager's Edition design concept is slated to open its doors next month in Manhattan. Billed as a reclamation of the essence of Times Square when it was "the microcosm of the best New York had the offer", the new hotel will feature 452 guest rooms, a fitness centre, and four storeys of public space, including two restaurants headed by Michelin-starred chef John Fraser, a terrace,
Chicago okays hotly contested Lincoln Yards mega-project
by Andrew Manns | 12 Feb 2019
The City of Chicago's Department of Planning and Development (CPD) has greenlit plans to develop Lincoln Yards – a large-scale project that will see 50 acres of Chicago's waterfront transformed into a new urban attraction. Led by developers Sterling Bay and designed by practices Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, James Corner Field Operations, and CBT Architects, the US$6bn (€5.3bn, £4.65bn) development, which will occupy the former site of the city's manufacturing
Futuristic hotel with focus on "inner life" care takes shape in Paris
by Andrew Manns | 11 Feb 2019
Construction has begun on "Villa M" – an integrated hotel that will explore the many dimensions of healthy living and communal wellness. The brainchild of French designer Philippe Starck and Triptyque Architecture, Villa M, which stands for – among other things – "medicine, mutualism, and mobility" – will comprise a hotel, gym, restaurant, and bar, as well as exhibition, residential, and working spaces. Another major amenity of the property will
Rabot Dutilleul tapped to develop aquatic centre with world's deepest dive pool
by Andrew Manns | 08 Feb 2019
French construction firm Rabot Dutilleul has been retained by the city of Lille to develop an expansive, eco-friendly natatorium. Designed by German architects Auer Weber, the future facility, set to feature a 42.5-metre diving pool – the deepest in the world – will also comprise three swimming pools, a restaurant, a balneotherapy area, and a wellbeing centre with cryotherapy, sauna, and steam room facilities. Another highlight of the €78.5m (US$89m,
Conran and Partners-designed Das Triest hotel completes renovation in Vienna
by Andrew Manns | 08 Feb 2019
The Das Triest Hotel – originally designed by English architects Conran and Partners – has reopened following a multicomponent renovation. Situated in Vienna's Freihaus district, the hotel now features refreshed exteriors, 49 additional rooms and suites, and a 240 sq m restaurant. HD Architecken led the redesign of the building's facade, while Wehdorn Architecken was responsible for conceptualising the guest rooms – most of which provide views of the St
Historic Grand Port of Marseille to be reborn as seafront leisure hub
by Andrew Manns | 07 Feb 2019
French architecture firm Reichen and Robert (RR&A) have been selected to spearhead a €100m (US$113.4m, £87.3m) makeover of Marseille-Fos Port (the Grand Port of Marseille) – the largest seaport in France. Dubbed the "J1, La Passerelle", the new 29,106 sq m mixed-use structure, which will be located minutes away from the iconic Musée des Civilisations de l'Europe et de la Méditerranée (MUCEM), will offer extensive recreational amenities, including a floating
Kerry Hill Architects to design minimalist resort within a secret garden for Aman Kyoto
by Jane Kitchen | 07 Feb 2019
Luxury hotel operator Aman will open its third resort in Japan this November with the launch of Aman Kyoto, which will include a spa concept themed around the property’s natural spring water. Situated in a hidden garden close to Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden Pavilion), the resort, with 24 bedrooms and two two-bedroom villas, draws on the country’s ryokan (traditional inn) and onsen (hot spring) concepts to provide an authentic yet contemporary
Henning Larsen to lead redesign of largest opera house in Paris
by Andrew Manns | 06 Feb 2019
Scandinavian architecture practice Henning Larsen have been tapped to expand the Opéra Bastille – the largest opera house in Paris. The renovated structure will feature an extended foyer, an 800-seat concert hall, workshop facilities, and a public garden path with links to the Viaduc des Arts and the rue de Lyons. First proposed in 2017 in response to a competition announced by France's Ministry of Culture and Communication, the new
Miraval’s new Austin resort includes 20,000sq ft Clodagh-designed Life in Balance Spa
by Jane Kitchen | 06 Feb 2019
Hyatt has opened Miraval Austin in Texas, US, the brand’s second wellness resort to open outside of its flagship property in Tucson, Arizona, US. Set on 220 acres in Texas Hill Country overlooking Lake Travis, Miraval Austin was previously the Travaasa Austin Resort, which was acquired by Miraval in December 2016, just before Hyatt acquired Miraval in January 2017. Offering 117 guestrooms and suites, a Life in Balance Spa, a
Reimagined Museum of Modern Art to open its doors in October
by Andrew Manns | 06 Feb 2019
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York has announced that it will close this summer and reopen with expanded exhibition spaces on 21 October 2019. Designed by New York architecture practice Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) in collaboration with Gensler, the MoMA's extensions will feature more than 40,000 sq ft (3,716 sq m ) of galleries – allowing for the inclusion of both new and re-choreographed exhibits. The
MQ Studio design modernist retreat in Beijing's Forbidden City
by Andrew Manns | 05 Feb 2019
Chinese interior designers MQ Studio Shanghai have created the PuXuan Spa and Hotel – the latest venture from the Urban Resorts Concepts (URC) brand – in China's famous Forbidden City. Housed in the Ole Scheeren-designed Guardian Arts Centre in the Wangfujing district, PuXuan is situated opposite the National Art Museum and features 116 rooms and suites, two restaurants specialising in French and Cantonese cuisine, a tea room, and an UR
Studio Gang unveil community-focused concept for Tom Lee Park
by Andrew Manns | 05 Feb 2019
American architecture firm Studio Gang have revealed the first set of renderings of their vision to regenerate the historic Tom Lee Park in Memphis, Tennessee. Part of what has been described as a "holistic redevelopment" of the Memphis riverfront, the revitalised public space, which Studio Gang is redesigning in collaboration with SCAPE Landscape Architecture, will take design cues from various riverside structures, machines, and transport vessels – such as docks,
Iconic Hawaiian Kona Village resort to reopen as Rosewood in 2022
by Jane Kitchen | 05 Feb 2019
Global real estate investment company Kennedy Wilson (NYSE: KW) has appointed ultra-luxury hotel group Rosewood Hotels & Resorts to manage Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort, which is set to open in 2022 after a complete renovation of the property. Located on the Kona Coast of the Big Island of Hawai'i, the iconic Hawaiian retreat has laid dormant since 2011. Conceptualised and developed by explorer Johnno Jackson in the early 1960s,
Quinn Evans Architects transform Neo-Gothic high-rise into Detroit's first extended stay hotel
by Andrew Manns | 04 Feb 2019
The long-abandoned cathedral-like Metropolitan Building – a relict from the Jazz Age – has been converted into the Element Detroit, a 110-room extended stay hotel. Refurbished by Quinn Evans Architects in collaboration with real estate developers The Roxbury Group and the Means Group, the refreshed property, which has been vacant since the 1970s, features a rooftop bar with an outdoor terrace, a fitness centre, and 7,000 sq ft (650 sq
Heatherwick Studio and SPPARC get approval for £1bn Olympia revamp
by Andrew Manns | 04 Feb 2019
UK architecture practices Heatherwick Studio and SPPARC have been granted permission to move forward with their plans to transform the Olympia London exhibition centre into a multifunctional cultural hub. According to YOO Capital – one of the developers spearheading the project – the £1bn (US$1.3bn, €1.1bn) expansion, recently approved by Hammersmith and Fulham Council, will see 2.5 acres of public realm created, turning the Victorian-era landmark into a "global force
Live like Bond: Aston Martin reveals 'Sky Amenities' floors with emphasis on well-being
by Andrew Manns | 01 Feb 2019
Set to go vertical in July, the highly anticipated Aston Martin Residences in Miami – developed by the same company that created James Bond's iconic getaway cars – will provide homeowners with four floors of health and wellness-centred amenities. Designed by studios Revuelta Architecture International and Bodas Miani Anger Architects, the 66-storey residential complex, which is taking shape at 300 Biscayne Way, will offer 391 condominium apartments. The Sky Amenities
SHoP-designed eco-park in Lower Manhattan edges closer to completion
by Andrew Manns | 01 Feb 2019
Pier 35 – an expansive recreation space taking shape in New York's Lower East Side – will soon be complete. Jointly designed by American architecture practices SHoP and Ken Smith Workshop, the riverside park – part of SHoP's 388-hectare East River Waterfront regeneration project – will feature 28,000 sq ft (2,601 sq m) of public realm, including pedestrian paths, picnic areas, and a screen wall that will be overlaid with
Arquitectonica and Martin Brudnizki team up to design Italy-inspired hotel
by Andrew Manns | 31 Jan 2019
Architecture firm Arquitectonica and interior designer Martin Brudnizki have designed the Mr. C Coconut Grove lifestyle hotel in South Florida. The 100-room retreat, which overlooks Biscayne Bay, rises six storeys and will feature several leisure facilities and terraces, including a fitness centre, garden, swimming pool, and spa with a private sauna, treatment room, and outdoor relaxation lounge. The nautical look of the resort – as shown by its azure and
Developer's plans for Thameside resort in 18th-century manor get green light
by Andrew Manns | 30 Jan 2019
British real estate company SUSD has announced that it has gained planning consent to develop the Grotto Estate – a 3.5-hectare country retreat on the banks of the Thames river in Lower Basildon, UK. Designed by Paul Forster, the future property, which will expand on a Georgian-era mansion said to have been designed by the renowned landscape architect Capability Brown, will feature 53 rooms and six two-bedroom detached lodges, two
company profile
Try cladmag for free!
Sign up with CLAD to receive our regular ezine, instant news alerts, free digital subscriptions to CLADweek, CLADmag and CLADbook and to request a free sample of the next issue of CLADmag.
sign up
features
Catalogue Gallery
Click on a catalogue to view it online
To advertise in our catalogue gallery: call +44(0)1462 431385
features
features
featured supplier
cladkit product news
The Holocene No. 4 reflects Pawson's pared-back style and neutral palette
Swedish lighting company Wästberg has expanded its Holocene collection, with a new addition, Holocene No. 4, designed by acclaimed architect
...
Bartok Design creates traditional Japanese soaking tubs
Bartok Design, a Japan-based supplier of Ofuro (Japanese bathtubs), has completed a major installation at the newly opened SpaFusion at
...
cladkit product news
Baux has worked with scientists from the Royal Institute of Technology to create Baux Acoustic Pulp, a plant-derived acoustic solution
Baux, an acoustic products brand based in Sweden, has developed a line of biodegradable acoustic panels, using a plant-based material
...
The panels are designed to maintain 'healthy spaces' and consist of Hemp husks fashioned into a natural porous membrane that absorbs sound
Russian design studio Aotta has developed a range of eco-friendly, sound-absorbing panels made from the waste products of hemp seeds.
...
cladkit product news
Rockwell has designed 12 multi-use fabrics inspired by dreams with long-time collaborator Jim Thompson
Renowned architect David Rockwell has created a collection of fabrics with long-time collaborator Jim Thompson. Called Dreams, the collection was
...
The collection consists of three smaller collections: Weave, Strip and Lapp. Weave was inspired by 'the fluid lines of Zaha Hadid's sketching hand'
Zaha Hadid Design has partnered with porcelain manufacturer Rosenthal to create a new collection of vases. Called the Lapp collection,
...
