Project & Case Study Showcase
BREAKING NEW GROUND: HOW B & K HYBRID SOLUTIONS HAVE HELPED DELIVER THE UK’ S LARGEST PASSIVHAUS LEISURE CENTRE
The brief for Eclipse Leisure Centre was unprecedented: create the UK’ s largest 50 / 50 wet and dry leisure centre designed to Passivhaus standards, while meeting strict budget constraints and sustainability targets. Located in Stainesupon-Thames, the £ 50m project needed to consume 60-70 % less energy than conventional leisure facilities- a significant challenge in a sector notorious for high energy consumption and comfort issues. Now one of the world’ s most advanced leisure facilities, B & K Hybrid Solutions’ specialised expertise in hybrid timber construction was key to the project’ s success.
Now open to the public, Eclipse Leisure Centre offers a comprehensive range of facilities, including an eight-lane 25m main pool and 20mx10m learner pool with a movable floor, a 6-court sports hall and 950sqm of fitness space. The facility also features a flagship rooftop with four artificial football pitches, an open-plan café area, and a feature staircase, to create a welcoming biophilic entrance.
The project team selected a hybrid material solution that balanced aesthetics, performance and sustainability, exceeding a single system approach. The design required innovative engineering solutions to overcome complex structural, acoustic, and moisture management challenges, particularly in high-humidity environments like the pool hall.
While timber was primarily specified for aesthetic reasons, with significant areas left exposed, this evolved into a hybrid timber-steel approach to maximise the benefits of each individual system: timber’ s visual warmth, carbon sequestration properties and prefabrication benefits were expertly balanced with steel’ s excellent structural performance.
B & K Hybrid Solutions were selected for their proven expertise in hybrid timber-steel construction, where their understanding of engineered timber’ s behaviour in challenging environments proved crucial. Working alongside GT3 Architects, structural engineer Engenuiti, and main contractor Willmott Dixon, BKHS’ s technical knowledge helped to deliver timber applications in areas typically dominated by concrete, including the lift cores, pool hall, and spectator seating. A cost analysis completed by Willmott Dixon also confirmed that a hybrid timber-steel solution could meet the council’ s budget, without sacrificing the desired aesthetic or performance requirements.
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