Allander Leisure Centre Bearsden building, West Glasgow sports complex news, East Dunbartonshire
Allander Leisure Centre Bearsden
post updated 27 September 2024
Highly-acclaimed Health & Wellbeing Hub shortlisted for UK-leading design award
Architect: Holmes Miller
photos courtesy of architects office
Allander Leisure Centre Building Award News
• Allander Leisure Centre in Bearsden near Glasgow is in the running for a prestigious UK architecture award.
• Architect Holmes Miller designed the facility, which provides exceptional leisure amenities and vital adult support services.
Holmes Miller has made the shortlist of the AJ Architecture Awards 2024 – one of the most prestigious awards in the UK, celebrating design excellence.
Allander Leisure Centre, designed by Holmes Miller, in collaboration with East Dunbartonshire Council and the Health & Social Care Partnership, is in the running for best ‘Leisure Project’. The shortlisting confirms the facility as one of the most impressive building designs in the UK.
The Allander project embodies inspiring and uplifting health and wellbeing architecture, driven by social values. Inclusivity and sustainability are at the heart of the pioneering facility.
Offering an array of sport and leisure facilities, the complex comprises a state-of-the-art sports dome with tennis courts and football pitches, in addition to an eight-court games hall, two squash courts, swimming and spa facilities, a hydrotherapy pool, a gym with designated fitness areas and a popular café.
Holmes Miller has been recognised for its inspirational design which brings creativity and inclusivity together to support the wider community. The facility has been carefully tailored to provide vital adult support services, with treatment rooms for dementia care, rebound therapy, sensory therapy, and physiotherapy, in addition to training kitchens and designated spaces to enjoy arts and crafts, music and dance.
Allander Resource Centre – which is integrated within the leisure centre – was recently awarded top prize for inclusivity and diversity at The Herald and GenAnalytics’ 2024 Diversity Awards Scotland, receiving praise for its modern and welcoming design which goes above and beyond in catering to all visitors, particularly patrons of the community requiring care.
Ian Cooney, Project Director at Holmes Miller, said: “This is a truly unique project. Our team has gone to great lengths to ensure it fully addresses the diverse needs of every member of the surrounding community.
“The essence of impactful architectural design lies in creating spaces that resonate with all users, regardless of their individual needs. Allander Leisure Centre is designed to bring people together – whether it’s a gym-goer enjoying a workout, an adult with additional needs finding comfort through music, or a young aspiring tennis player honing their skills. This project is a perfect example of prioritising people in design to foster happiness and connection, and we’re thrilled to see it acknowledged as one of the best design projects in the country.”
The new Allander Leisure Centre was built as part of a major investment by East Dunbartonshire Council.
Councillor Gordan Low, Leader of East Dunbartonshire Council, said: “The new Allander Leisure Centre has been extremely popular with customers and service users. We’re delighted it is being recognised for its state-of-the-art facilities and stunning design.”
Joanne Hemmings, Associate at Holmes Miller, said: “Being shortlisted highlights not only the positive impact Allander Leisure Centre has made on local people, but also serves as a powerful reminder that thoughtful design can make a difference where it’s needed most. It’s an achievement that motivates us to continue pushing boundaries and creating spaces that enrich lives.”
The awards will be held in London in December.
post updated 20 September 2024
State-of-the-art leisure centre providing adult support services recognised with prestigious diversity accolade
Architect: Holmes Miller
Allander Leisure Centre in Bearsden
• Community-led Allander Leisure Centre in Bearsden near Glasgow has been honoured for promoting diversity and inclusion
• Architect Holmes Miller scooped the top award at the 2024 Diversity Awards Scotland for addressing the needs of diverse community members
A new vibrant leisure centre in Bearsden near Glasgow has scooped the gold ‘Diversity in the Public Sector’ award at The Herald and GenAnalytics’ 2024 Diversity Awards Scotland, which honours innovative projects promoting diversity and inclusion in Scotland.
The architect behind the community centre’s design, Holmes Miller, has been recognised for exceeding public sector standards to fully address the needs of diverse community members.
The much admired £42.5m Allander Leisure Centre was designed by Holmes Miller in partnership with East Dunbartonshire Council to replace the original Allander sports complex. Enhancing community wellbeing, the recreational hub offers a variety of amenities, including a swimming pool with spa facilities, a hydrotherapy pool, a gym and fitness areas, an eight-court games hall, two squash courts, a café, and a state-of-the-art sports dome featuring tennis courts and football pitches.
The centre also provides inclusive services for adults with learning disabilities and has been praised for its positive impact which extends across the local population, particularly benefiting individuals with learning disabilities.
Treatment rooms dedicated to dementia care, rebound therapy, sensory therapy, and physiotherapy have been incorporated into the facility, in addition to training kitchens and designated spaces to enjoy arts and crafts, music and dance.
The 2024 Diversity Awards Scotland ceremony took place at the Radisson Blu Glasgow, bringing industry leaders together to celebrate trailblazing facilities that are driving positive change across the country.
Ian Cooney, Project Director at Holmes Miller, said: “Designing spaces with diversity and inclusion at their core is essential for building positive relationships. Many outdated community facilities are no longer fit for purpose, and we’re proud to be part of the change, working closely with public authorities to provide better opportunities for those who need them most.
“By combining leisure and adult care services, Allander Leisure Centre ensures everyone has access to the high-quality amenities necessary for their health and wellbeing. We’re thrilled that this standout project has been recognised for truly impacting local lives, and we look forward to its continued success in the years ahead.”
David Kelly, Allander Operations Manager, East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture, said: “In this time of austerity, the design of health and wellbeing facilities needs to continue to adapt and evolve to ensure local authorities can provide good value for their communities. We’ve combined two tired and energy hungry existing facilities and created an efficient and sustainable integrated community hub that serves everyone in the area.
“The new Allander delivers flexible facilities that will give local people an exceptional quality of experience, both now and in the future.”
Joanne Hemmings, Associate at Holmes Miller, said: “Winning the Diversity Awards Scotland is an incredible honour. Our team has poured their passion into creating a vibrant leisure facility where everyone feels welcome. This project showcases how thoughtful architectural design can strengthen community spirit and provide a space for all to enjoy.”
Previously on Glasgow Architecture:
7 March 2023
New £42.5m Allander Leisure Centre a ‘milestone combined facility’, say designers
Design: Holmes Miller
images courtesy of architects practice
Allander Leisure Centre Building in Bearsden
The architects behind Bearsden’s new Allander Leisure Centre, which opened its doors yesterday, are hailing the facility as a potential future flagship for community-led, combined leisure and adult day care projects.
The £42.5m facility – designed by architects Holmes Miller for East Dunbartonshire Council – replaces the original Allander sports complex, built in 1978. It also now accommodates support services for adults with learning disabilities, previously offered at the Kelvinbank Resource Centre in Kirkintilloch.
The new centre features an 8-lane swimming pool, sauna and steam room, hydrotherapy pool, gym, spin room, an 8-court games hall, two squash courts and a café, while also offering dementia, rebound, sensory and physiotherapy treatment rooms, training kitchens and arts and crafts, dance and music rooms.
A second phase of the project includes a new ‘sports dome’ with two football pitches and a tennis court, which is expected to be completed this autumn.
The new building was designed after a thorough 12-month consultation, involving community workshops and extensive dialogue with users of both facilities, to ensure local people had the chance to shape their building.
The focal point of the centre’s interior is a naturally-lit, timber-clad triple height entrance atrium that serves as a flexible events space for the community, and also houses a café.
To reflect changing trends in sport and recreation, multi-purpose spaces have been designed in throughout, giving the flexibility to meet changing levels of demand throughout the year while catering for local sports club requirements.
Ian Cooney, Project Director at Holmes Miller said: “As the design of health and wellbeing facilities adapts and evolves to ensure local authorities can provide good value for their communities, Allander is a leading project and representative of this new trend.
“When we were asked to bring leisure and adult day care facilities together into one inclusive community hub, we saw this as a chance to break down barriers and make a real difference to the lives of many different groups of users.”
Nada Shehab, Project Architect at Holmes Miller added: “We wanted to create a distinctive and timeless design that is welcoming, open, and of civic architectural quality – with a calm and simply designed internal environment. By collaborating closely with East Dunbartonshire Council and our partners, at the new Allander Leisure Centre we have delivered facilities that we hope will give local people an exceptional quality of experience and improve lives, both now and in the future.”
Councillor Gordan Low, Leader of East Dunbartonshire Council, added: “The new leisure centre gives people the chance to have fun, get fit and improve their health – both physically and mentally. I’m pleased the project also includes services and facilities for adults with learning disabilities. This is a great facility which will benefit people across East Dunbartonshire.”
The project is being delivered as part of the Scape- Major Works UK Framework. The project team also includes McLaughlin & Harvey, BakerHicks, Doig+Smith, Barton Willmore and Brown & Wallace.
Allander Leisure Centre Bearsden, Glasgow images / information received 070323 from Holmes Miller Architects
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