Meadowbank Sports Centre opens to the public
As Edinburgh’s new, £47m Meadowbank Sports Centre opens to the public, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the enormous privilege it has been to regenerate one of Scotland’s most iconic sporting landmarks.
As the lead project architects, the new complex had to be ready to serve future generations of amateur sporting enthusiasts and elite levels athletes from across Scotland for years to come. This meant not only achieving technical specifications in collaboration with national sporting bodies – such as Scottish Athletics – but also providing best-in-class training and leisure facilities to the local community.
The end result? Working closely with Edinburgh Leisure and The City of Edinburgh Council, the new Meadowbank will be one of the greenest and most accessible centres for community sport in the country. Importantly, this facility will serve as a catalyst of Edinburgh City Council’s wider regeneration plans for the area, which includes an aim to build a low-carbon community.
Ian Cooney, Project Director, Holmes Miller Architects said:
“Being tasked with revitalising such an iconic local landmark is a huge privilege and responsibility for Holmes Miller. In designing the building, we had to ensure it could deliver professional and elite sports competitions into the future as well as providing the best-in-class training and leisure facilities for the local community. This meant not only achieving the technical specifications through working with National Sporting Bodies – such as Scottish Athletics – but also designing spaces and a layout that allows professional and amateur athletes alike to enjoy.
“Architecturally the scheme comprises a clean and clipped form - two parallelogram volumes fused together by a glass shard atrium serves as a key circulation device, and provides a visual connection to the famous running track.
“The link between the past, present and future is playfully represented by a running lane detail that starts at the entrance on the London Road urban park, leading through the atrium and beyond to connect to the 400m track (pictured above). This calm white clad exterior conceals what is a structurally complex interior containing elevated volumes, bound together by organised and simple circulation. Natural light illuminates key spaces within the building and carefully placed LED lighting showcases the building exterior by night.
“It will be one of the greenest and most accessible centres for community sport in the country. Importantly, this facility will serve as a catalyst of Edinburgh City Council’s wider regeneration plans for the area, that includes an aim to build a low-car, low-carbon community with energy efficient new homes.”
The building entrance builds on the legacy of the old Meadowbank sports centre as a landmark for community and professional sport, having hosted two Commonwealth Games in 1970 and 1986. It draws users into the facility via an external and internal feature running track. Credit: Holmes Miller
Having previously welcomed athletes such as Norrie Foster and Liz McColgan, the new facility will feature a 60m six-lane indoor athletics' track and jumps' space that will provide a core part of training for the next generation of Scottish sporting athletics competitors.
Credit: Holmes Miller
The facility will include two multi-sport games halls with seating and a third hall available to book for local sports clubs and groups.
Credit: Holmes Miller
The opening of the new outdoor Meadowbank stadium will mark the return of Edinburgh City FC. after having played at Ainslie Park for five years while the facility was rebuilt.
Games will be played on one of the two outdoor 3G pitches (the recommended standard for Football, rugby and Gaelic Athletic Association sports) that include a 499-seat stand.
Credit: Holmes Miller