Planning lodged for Allander Leisure and Adult Resource Centre

Holmes Miller are delighted to be working with East Dunbartonshire Council and McLaughlin & Harvey on the design of a new Civic Hub in Bearsden & Milngavie.

A planning application was lodged this week for the new Allander Leisure and Adult Resource Centre to replace the existing Allander Sports Centre, which has served the community for 43 years.

The design rationale is to create a flexible, inclusive environment whereby each centre can interact and share facilities. Combining wet and dry leisure with a day care centre for adults with learning challenges, the building provides a Community campus with best in class facilities.

The design approach is to arrange each core component of the Program as a cascade of layered masses that sequentially step up to temper the scale of the building - and provide a distinctive form. This is topped by a translucent light box that wraps around the games hall mass to provide an illuminated upper and provide a visual marker. Placed alongside the core centre is a lightweight translucent fabric indoor sports dome, which is anchored by a solid base.

A clean and simple material palette of has been selected, to create a building with Civic presence. The cascading form is highlighted by high quality brick which steps down over a pleated glass and metal South elevation that wraps around to form the metal skin of the East and North facades.

At the heart of the scheme is a naturally lit triple height entrance atrium clad in timber - which forms the fulcrum point of the building – and will also contain a Community Café and also serve as a flexible events space.

The core elements of the 11,750m2 building comprise;

·         An adult day care centre with external production and sensory gardens

·         60m x 40m Indoor Sports dome containing football / tennis

·         Swimming Pool Hall;

o    8 lane 25m Pool

o    160 spectator seat gallery

o    Hydrotherapy Pool

o    Training Pool with movable floor

·         8 court multi-functional games hall

·         Health and Fitness Suite (Cardio/Strength & Conditioning)

·         3 Studios

·         2 Squash Courts

·         Community Cafe

The building is due on site in Autumn 2020 with a projected 24 month building programme.