Premier Construction

Flitwick leisure centre

Flitwick
Written by Roma Publications

Flitwick leisure centre –  Specification shapes leisure redevelopment

Flitwick

Working in close collaboration with B3 Architects and Central Bedfordshire Council, ASSA ABLOY UK Specification, a UK division of ASSA ABLOY, the global leader in door opening solutions, has delivered a bespoke solution for a new leisure centre, in Flitwick.

The multi-million pound development is required to service the needs of the growing local community. The team at ASSA ABLOY UK Specification developed a specification, ensuring that the access and flow requirements of the public building were fully considered during the design phase.

B3 Architects, based in Loughborough, consulted the ASSA ABLOY UK Specification team to arrange a total solution for internal and external doorsets, which would support the original design intent of the build. Considering all stages of a visitor’s journey through the building, the UK Specification team was able to take a holistic approach to specification, working collaboratively with other elements of the supply chain and the architects themselves.

The contemporary development, which includes a 25m swimming pool, a four-court sports hall, an indoor climbing wall and a health and fitness suite, has been built next to the old centre, meaning aesthetics had to be carefully considered to balance the modern facilities with its historic setting.

Maintaining a close relationship with the architects to understand their aesthetic vision and the building’s design intent, the team wrote a specification that included a suite of finishes to compliment the development’s visual appeal.

David Shields, Specification Development Manager at ASSA ABLOY UK, said: “The old leisure centre remained open during the redevelopment next door, so collaboration across all parties was crucial to the client. With so many areas to the building, each with different uses, the team had to carefully think through how the flow of traffic would work within the requirements of each space.

“By taking a design-led and simplified approach to specification, we’re able to assist architects and contractors in all areas of the development, particularly the areas that they can find burdensome, such as scheduling, which often requires in-depth levels of expertise to get right. In addition, the data we were able to provide can assist with whole life costing and certifying the sustainability credentials of a building, as well as the on-going management.”

For more information on ASSA ABLOY UK Specification, please visit: www.assaabloy.co.uk/specification or join the debate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/assa-abloy-uk.

 

About the author

Roma Publications