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Greenock Waterfront

FaulknerBrowns, Inverclyde, 1997

 

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Nautical imagery along the waterfront 

Marine Hamilton Knight (website)     Download Original

  • Nautical imagery along the waterfront    
  • The landside elevation appears     
  • Curved concrete ribs emulate the remains of a ship    
  • View from the waterfront, with Victoria Tower in the baground    
  • The double height reception area    
  • Serious activites take place in the curling rink    
  • Swimmers can shoot down a flume into the leasure pool    
  • The fun training swimming pool    
  • The more relaxed leisure ice rink    
  • Site plan    
  • Level one plan    
  • Level two plan    
  • Section A-A    
  • Section B-B    
  • Section C-C    
  • Cross section and detail plan through column and curved wall at eaves    
  • Detail section and cut-away isometric through curved wall    

Leisure centre next to the River Clyde with a sloping roof to take advantage of views of surrounding counctryside

Sited over an infilled harbour the centre contains a 25m swimming pool and 950m2 ice rink, which houses four lanes of curling, is available for public skating and can be turned into a floored venue for 1,000 people.

The reception is common to all users, with a café and seating area overlooking the leisure ice. From here there is a link via a bridge to the health and fitness area or to the training pool. Two staircases run down either side of the bridges linking to either the leisure ice or to the water changing areas. Along the narrow site, the recreational areas are placed centrally with the more serious areas moved to the periphery.

Structurally a three-storey concrete frame runs to the south where the best ground conditions exist. A steel 'crane' frame hangs from this, spanning half of the main spaces, against which a light steel frame rests to span the remainder of the space.

The concrete frame is made up of curved 'ribs' emulating the remains of a ship carrying the upper floor and creating stability. It also acts as a tie for the roof 'crane' steelwork.

A few simple materials are used throughout, externally there are concrete tusks, enamelled glass, cast glass, and powder-coated steel rain-screens.

Data

  • Begun: Jan 1995
  • Completed: Aug 1997
  • Floor area: 7,600m2
  • Sector: Sports and leisure
  • Total cost: £14.3M
  • Procurement: Scottish Building Contract with Quantities (Jan 1992 Rev.) with amendment sheet No. 1
  • Address: Waterfront Leisure Complex, Customhouse Way, Greenock, Inverclyde, PA15 1EW, United Kingdom

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