FALLS ROAD LEISURE CENTRE
Client
Belfast City Council
Completion
2005
GPS
54°35'57.1"N 5°56'58.5"W
AWARDS
RIAI Regional Award 2006
RIAI Accessibility Award 2006
RIAI Sustainability Award 2006
RSUA Innovation Award 2006
Civil Trust Awards 2006: Commendation
RIBA Regional Award 2005
William Keown Trust Prestige Access Award 2006
The 4044sqm Centre includes sports halls, a fitness suite, meeting rooms, a social area, swimming pool and village changing area. The building has a full basement coupled with high level mezzanine rooms to meet the difficult brief on a compact site.
The Architects addressed the Client’s desire for an innovative building by the use of glass, light and colour, as well as the placing of the pool adjacent to the pavement with a glazed screen.
The colourful exterior glass panels, which let in light without creating glare, maximises natural daylight, therefore greatly reducing energy use. This contemporary building acted as a catalyst to successfully regenerate the local area and created a new landmark in which the local community can be proud of.
“Kennedy FitzGerald’s Falls Leisure Centre is a brave and deliberate break with Belfast’s siege mentality architecture” Jan– Carlos Kucharek RIBA Journal (May 2005)