October Revision 001 1 © Sport England 2012

FacilityCase Study

BRIXTON RECREATION CENTRE CHANGING AREA REFURBISHMENT

LAMBETH, LONDONStatus: Completed 2010Client: London Borough of LambethValue: £662k

Creating a sporting habit for life

Brixton Recreation Centre is the largest community sports and leisure facility in the London Borough of Lambeth and offers a wide range of facilities including swimming pools, a sports hall, gym, studios, squash courts, indoor artificial grass pitch, climbing wall, bowls hall, crèche and meeting rooms.

The original building was built in the late 1970’s with the accommodation spread over six levels. The building sits in the heart of Brixton and is constructed from a reinforced concrete frame with coffered slabs. The building is clad in red facing brickwork with the visible concrete columns and beams having an exposed aggregate finish. This robust palate of materials has also been used internally.

The original swimming pool changing area was designed as separate male and female changing rooms with benches and lockers in each area. However, despite some improvement works over the years, the provision for both family changing and unisex disabled changing with a helper of the opposite sex was inadequate for current needs. In 2010, work commenced to refurbish the main changing area to enhance and reconfigure the existing male and female rooms including the removal of low level internal walls to create a modern and spacious area. The work also included the creation of unisex and accessible changing facilities with direct access to the pools and other wet side facilities and accessible toilet provision. The swimming pools and the rest of the recreation centre were kept in use throughout the construction works.

Changing area before the refurbishment

October Revision 001 2 © Sport England 2012

FacilityCase Study

A4054Swimm

ing Pool

A4001Stairwell

Corridor

A4002Store

A4070Office

A4068Stairwell A4072

KitchenA4071Toilet

A4060Office

A4062Office

A4063Office

A4064Store

A4059Corridor

A4058Stairwell

A4061Store

A4065Office

A4066Store

A4067Store

A4069Office

A4057Store

SH

OK

GY

M

MA

LED

RY

CH

AN

GE

RE

LAX

AT

ION

AR

EA

A4014Plant Room

KID

Z &

AC

TIV

E Z

ON

E

Long/High Jum

p Zone

(T.B

.C.)

Sprint T

rack (T.B

.C.)

Basketball C

ourt(T

.B.C

.)

SH

OK

GY

M

ST

OR

E

RE

CE

PT

ION

ST

UD

IO

ST

OR

E

FEM

ALE

DR

Y C

HA

NG

E

Vanity Shelving

Bench S

eating

Vanity Shelving

Bench S

eating

Bench S

eating

Plant

Plant

Shutters

Shutters

Hatch

34.33 sq M

36.18 sq MT

oilets &S

howers

21.18 sq M

Toilets &

Show

ers17.28 sq M

1

2

2

2

3

4

5

8

8

8

6

3

33333

2

22

1113

14 14

14

14

15

1517

18

19

19

20

16

16

13

12

12

11

17

7

Female changing

Entrance

Access to p

ools

Male changing

Family changing

1

2

15

15

3

3

3

3

3

5

8

8

9

8

6

3

2

2213

11

1414

14

14

15

15

15

15

17

18

19

20

16

16

13

15

15

1

7

7

Female changing

Entrance

Access to p

ools

Male changing

Family changing

This development has demonstrated that outdated changing facilities can be adequately adapted to suit modern requirements within acceptable capital cost allowances.

Existing changing layout

Key

The project was funded by the London Borough of Lambeth with a contribution from the Free Swimming Capital Modernisation Fund administered by Sport England.

Key considerations were:

• Providing unisex and accessible facilities• Physical constraints of the existing building

and its construction• Minimising disruption to users and staff

when working in a live environment.

Existing cubicles New cubicles

Pre-swim shower area

Post-swim shower area

Showers generally

Group / buffer changing

Changing area

Accessible / family changing

Male WC

Family WC with baby change - N/A

Female WC

Unisex accessible WC

Unisex accessible WC with shower

Accessible changing room with WC and shower

Steam room

Unisex vanity - N/A

Female vanity

Buggy storage

First aid room

Steam plant room

Store

Cleaners store

Sauna room

17

4

5

6

18

15

16

19

20

1

3

2

8

7

9

10

11

12

13

14

Drainage channels

Key

October Revision 001 3 © Sport England 2012

FacilityCase Study

Accessible Design

The following changes and design amendments were undertaken:

• Female disabled changing room, WC and shower

• Female ambulant shower

• Male ambulant shower

• Unisex accessible changing room, WC and shower

• Unisex ambulant shower

• Appropriate circulation provision.

A4054Swimm

ing Pool

A4001Stairwell

Corridor

A4002Store

A4070Office

A4068Stairwell A4072

KitchenA4071Toilet

A4060Office

A4062Office

A4063Office

A4064Store

A4059Corridor

A4058Stairwell

A4061Store

A4065Office

A4066Store

A4067Store

A4069Office

A4057Store

SH

OK

GY

M

MA

LED

RY

CH

AN

GE

RE

LAX

AT

ION

AR

EA

A4014Plant Room

KID

Z &

AC

TIV

E Z

ON

E

Long/High Jum

p Zone

(T.B

.C.)

Sprint T

rack (T.B

.C.)

Basketball C

ourt(T

.B.C

.)

SH

OK

GY

M

ST

OR

E

RE

CE

PT

ION

ST

UD

IO

ST

OR

E

FEM

ALE

DR

Y C

HA

NG

E

Vanity Shelving

Bench S

eating

Vanity Shelving

Bench S

eating

Bench S

eating

Plant

Plant

Shutters

Shutters

Hatch

34.33 sq M

36.18 sq MT

oilets &S

howers

21.18 sq M

Toilets &

Show

ers17.28 sq M

1

2

2

2

3

4

5

8

8

8

6

3

33333

2

22

1113

14 14

14

14

15

1517

18

19

19

20

16

16

13

12

12

11

17

7

Female changing

Entrance

Access to p

ools

Male changing

Family changing

1

2

15

15

3

3

3

3

3

5

8

8

9

8

6

3

2

2213

11

1414

14

14

15

15

15

15

17

18

19

20

16

16

13

15

15

1

7

7

Female changing

Entrance

Access to p

ools

Male changing

Family changing

New changing layout

Key

Pre-swim shower area

Post-swim shower area

Showers generally

Group / buffer changing

Changing area

Accessible / family changing

Male WC

Family WC with baby change

Female WC

Unisex accessible WC - N/A

Unisex accessible WC with shower

Accessible changing room with WC and shower

Steam / sauna rooms

Unisex vanity

Female vanity

Buggy storage

First aid room

Steam plant room

Store

Cleaners store

Steam / sauna reception

17

4

5

6

18

15

16

19

20

1

3

2

8

7

9

10

11

12

13

14

Drainage channels

Key

October Revision 001 4 © Sport England 2012

FacilityCase Study

Procurement / ProgrammeTender Traditional Procurement,

Competitive Tenders

Contract JCT Intermediate Building Contract with Contractors Design Portion

Duration 15 weeks from start on site to practical completion.

Summary of Elemental Costs

Element Total Cost (£) Cost (£) per m2

1 Out turn construction cost 570,000 750

2 Professional fees 92,000 121

TOTAL PROJECT COST 662,000 871

Notes:

1. Costs stated are rounded and based on 1st Quarter 2010.

2. Cost (£) per m2 based on approximately 760 m2 changing area zone.

3. Costs exclude loose furniture and equipment.

4. Costs exclude VAT.

All photographs provided by S&P Architects 2010Click here for ‘User Guide’ Click here for current ‘Design and Cost Guidance’www.sportengland.org/facilities__planning/design_and_cost_guidance/user_guide.aspx http://www.sportengland.org/facilities__planning/design_and_cost_guidance.aspx