Carnegie School of Sport

Co-locating specialized teaching and research laboratories to create a hub for elite athletes

Location

Leeds, England, UK

Client

Leeds Beckett University

Project Status

Completed in 2020

Project partners

Sheppard Robson, Galliford Try, Gardiner & Theobald, Gillespies

Leeds Beckett University has an outstanding pedigree in sports education stretching back to 1933 and the prestigious Carnegie College of Physical Training. Today, students, staff and alumni of the Carnegie School of Sport are leaders in national and international sport.

To ensure this success continues, the university has invested £45m in a building that provides not only a state-of-the-art learning space, but a hub for elite athletes and industry partners.

The 90,000 sq ft new home for the Carnegie School of Sport is a significant addition to the historic Headingley Campus. The building co-locates specialist teaching and research laboratories alongside a range of exceptional amenities including a high-performance strength and conditioning facility, human movement research laboratory and a performance analysis lab. A high-level sprint track – complete with force plates and motion-camera recording – projects over the main athletics area outside to create a unique link between the academic research taking place within the building and the wider campus.

It has been a great experience to work so closely with the Carnegie School of Sport and wider University Estates team in delivering a true state-of-the-art and striking facility from inception to completion. This project is a first-class example of what collaboration can achieve

Chris Clark Project Lead, WSP

WSP’s building services experts collaborated with the design team and the client throughout the project from inception to the completion, enabling the university stakeholders to participate in a continuous review process. Future adaptability was a key objective, so the laboratories are designed with the flexibility to accommodate changes in teaching methods. Among the specialist facilities are hyperbaric chambers, anti-gravity simulation, and environmental chambers that can simulate different temperature, humidity, and altitude conditions.

WSP therefore had to consider a variety of scenarios, some involving intensive energy and cooling loads. The project was also designed to achieve BREEAM Excellent, with energy reduction features including a heat recovery system, photovoltaic panels and electric air-to-water heat pump.