Abingdon School Sports Centre

Interior image of an eight lane swimming pool.

Abingdon School Sports Centre is located on the grounds of one of the oldest independent schools in England. The site sits within a Conservation Area and is located adjacent to a Grade II listed boundary wall.

We were appointed to create a new sports centre and swimming pool that could sit comfortably on this sensitive site.

Exterior image of a contemporary sports centre.

Image of a balcony overlooking an outdoor sports pitch.

The school’s existing sports hall was retained and fully refurbished, with extensive new facilities built around it including a new eight-lane swimming pool, indoor and outdoor changing facilities, a fitness suite, squash courts, a climbing wall, a judo and fencing studio, and a social space with a balcony overlooking the outdoor pitches.

Interior image of a contemporary sports centre.

A key challenge of this project was to create a design that would allow the large sports centre to sit comfortably within its sensitive location.

To achieve this, the large massing of the building was broken down visually with the use of varying roof profiles and cladding materials. The site’s listed boundary wall was also integrated into the new centre, becoming the external rear wall element of the new development.

The swimming pool features a curved roof, which is clad with timber on the inside to create a dynamic and natural sports environment.

Exterior image of a contemporary sports centre with curved roof.

“The combination of innovative design and the latest technology have produced an enviable range of facilities.”

Image credits

Meet our team

Director

Matthew Burl

Matthew is an architect and director at Buttress who has led the successful design and delivery of new build and refurbishment projects across a range of cultural, academic and community-led sectors, both regionally and internationally.

He also coordinates the practice's sustainability activities and has led Buttress' B Corp journey helping the company achieve certification at the end of 2022.

Studio Principal

Chris Whelan

Chris works across various sectors within the practice and brings an exceptional eye for detail and creative solutions to all.

With over 25 years of experience as a qualified architect, Chris’ extensive experience includes architectural designs for some of the country’s leading independent schools, residential schemes, masterplanning exercises, and various community, sports and leisure projects.