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A new civic and leisure centre for Middleton.

Included within the 7,320 sq m building is a 500-seat auditorium, two swimming pools, a dry sports hall, a private gym, a dance studio and squash courts.
The curved roof wraps tightly over the building, with the high point above the auditorium fly-tower; other accommodation is then fitted around like a 3D al jigsaw puzzle. These elements are colour-coded both internally and externally to express and explain the various activities within the building.

Brief

• a new facility to provide a broad range of activities including sport, drama and music under a single roof
• to avoid the traditional negative connotations of municipal leisure facilities

Results

• has brought 1.3 hectares of derelict town centre into beneficial use
• a striking facility for the whole community
• provides new landmark for Middleton
• awards: North West Regional Construction Award 2009

Facts

Location: Rochdale, UK
Client: Tesco; Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council
Construction cost: £13m
Completed: 2009
Awards: 1

Integrated services

architecture, environmental engineering, landscape lighting, acoustics, landscape architecture