Brook Leisure Centre 

Redefining Community Spaces: The Brook Activity Centre’s Award-Winning Design Revolutionizes Belfast’s Leisure Facilities.

In partnership with McAdam Design, SPACE&PLACE (S&P) provided comprehensive architectural services for three state-of-the-art leisure centres, integral to Belfast City Council’s celebrated Belfast Leisure Transformation (BLT) Programme. This major initiative, a key element of the Belfast Agenda, is focused on rejuvenating Belfast’s economic core and enhancing the quality of life for its residents. 

A notable highlight of the BLT Programme is the Brook Activity Centre, which boasts Belfast’s first 25-meter community pool. This innovative centre has become the primary hub for outdoor sports, offering essential amenities like team changing facilities and a children’s playground. The centre’s design incorporates a range of modern leisure facilities, including a 25-meter, four-lane swimming pool with sensory lighting and sound—making it the largest sensory pool in the UK and Ireland. Additionally, the centre features a gym, a fitness studio, a five-court sports hall, and a health improvement room. The sports facilities are complemented by seven new 3G outdoor pitches, providing diverse options such as 5-a-side pitches, a Gaelic games pitch, football pitches, and a hurling wall. 

The design process was highly collaborative, involving early workshops with council operators and local groups to refine the brief according to community needs. Consultations with Sport Northern Ireland and Sport England were instrumental in further tailoring the design. The facilities were developed to exceed inclusivity standards and achieved a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’ before construction began. 

Results

The centre has been highly successful, winning the 2020 RICS Social Impact Award in the leisure category and receiving praise from local communities, sports clubs, and council officials. 

December 2019