Chellaram Sports Complex
A brand new sports hall for a long-standing College
Founded in 1862, Clifton College was built near Clifton Down in Bristol and officially opened its new sports hall, the Chellaram Sports Complex, in 2024.
Our team was appointed for the design and construction of the sports hall located on the same footprint as the existing indoor sports dome structure.
Project Lead
Project Team
- Location Bristol
- Client Clifton College
- Completion 2024
- Value £7.9m
A new structure
Replacing the existing “bubble” structure allowed a significant gain in energy efficiency for the College, since the building was kept in a constant pressurised state using fans powered by mains electricity.
Aesthetic challenges
The visual impact of the new facility surrounded by Green Belt land was a major challenge in the design. Working closely with the architect Alec French and contractor Speller Metcalfe, we developed a design strategy taking into account the existing footprint and building height, then optimising the number of courts and level of play which the existing footprint could accommodate.
A hall fit for all
The new facility was designed with versatility in mind to support a much larger range of sports activities, with improved natural lighting and passive ventilation. The modern multi-purpose floor inside the hall can accommodate netball, tennis, badminton and basketball courts, along with cricket lanes, a bouldering wall, a hockey pitch, space for touch rugby and numerous table tennis tables.
It also provides seating for up to 208 people, as well as a single storey extension comprising sport equipment storage, WCs & changing rooms, and a plant area.
