Pozzoni Architecture adds multipurpose immersive blackout studio to Formby Pool
– Martin Bransby
Pozzoni Architecture has added a 60-person fitness suite and converted the original fitness suite into a ‘state-of-the-art’ multipurpose studio at Formby Pool in Sefton.
The new studio can be fully blacked out and features a music and LED lighting system that can be used to create tailored immersive experiences. As part of the project, which was valued at £1m, an overspill car park was also added to the site.
To ensure the extension complemented the existing building, a closely matching asymmetrical monopitch roof was included. The design also made use of the same materials used in the original building, which was completed in 2006 by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.
“The main feature of the building is the pool hall, so it was important to make sure that the design of the extension didn’t detract from that,” explained Martin Bransby, director at Pozzoni. “We wanted to create a harmonious connection between the old and new, using the same materials, such as copper cladding, curtain walling and timber, as well as taking design cues from the existing building.
“The end result is a modern leisure facility that will enable Formby Pool to remain as a focal social and leisure hub in the heart of the town centre and be a valuable asset to the local community.”
Pozzoni has worked on a number of health and fitness projects including Crewe Lifestyle Centre and Godalming Leisure Centre.
Work, carried out in partnership with Abacus CM and John Greenwood (Builders), began on the Formby Pool extension in August 2018 and took nine months to complete. The new extension is already open to the public.
Pozzoni Architecture
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