Thermoformed barrel vault
A frameless, continuous polycarbonate rooflight delivering seamless natural daylight across large roof spans. Durable, lightweight and low-maintenance by design.
Sport facilities
Braywick Leisure Centre
Bespoke polycarbonate continuous rooflight for Braywick Leisure Centre
Maidenhead,
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Location
New build
Project type
BRL Architects
Architect
Wates Construction
Further participants
2020
Project year
Bespoke polycarbonate continuous rooflight system connects Braywick Leisure Centre with its community and environment
The Magnet Leisure Centre, built in the centre of Maidenhead around 1975, has been replaced by a new facility set in a nature reserve on the outskirts of the town. BRL Architects were appointed by the local council to design a state-of-the-art leisure centre that embraces the beauty of the surrounding tree-lined park. Sustainability improvements and the local community were at the heart of this project.
VELUX Commercial won the tender to deliver the 45.6m x 4.3m structural barrel vault rooflight system, with integrated ventilation, planned for the central gallery.
The use of a diffused polycarbonate solution minimises glare on sunny days, making it possible to look up and see the large timber arches amongst the rays of natural light, a view not dissimilar from the walk in the nature reserve around the leisure centre.
VELUX Commercial designed a vertical frame to incorporate a natural ventilation solution within the barrel-vault shape of the rooflight to minimise any visual impact. The rectangular aluminium structure sits beneath the rooflight and accommodates 23 EN 12101 certified centre pivot louvres for both smoke and comfort ventilation on either side of the rooflight.
Products used in project
1 × Specialist Continuous Rooflights
45.6m × 4.3m structural barrel vault polycarbonate rooflight
X-Span
X-Span delivers bespoke large-span rooflights and glazed structures with design freedom and integrated ventilation.
Thermoformed barrel vault
A frameless, continuous polycarbonate rooflight delivering seamless natural daylight across large roof spans. Durable, lightweight and low-maintenance by design.
X-Span
X-Span delivers bespoke large-span rooflights and glazed structures with design freedom and integrated ventilation.
"We wanted to achieve the feeling of an outdoor path or street within the enclosed building that could become a market, a foyer to the theatre, or simply a space for people to gather. We used timber in the large double-height central gallery to knit into the beautiful surrounding trees and the idea was to flood the area with natural light. The hope is that the community will own the space and shape its future use."
Richard Clayton, The Associate DirectorBRL Architects
"We had feedback from VELUX Commercial from the start, they assisted with the design of the daylight and ventilation solution and also helped us and the architect to understand what was and wasn’t feasible. They offered us the full package; design knowledge, high level of preconstruction accuracy and fast installation."
Raphael Coppens, Senior Design ManagerWates Construction
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