Brief
A major development at the County Ground Northampton to provide indoor training and changing room facilities for the County Cricket Clubs professional players, as well as providing a multi-purpose space that can be adapted for conference and corporate functions uses. Changing rooms, offices, a club shop and meeting rooms were incorporated in a two storey element and the elevation facing the cricket ground provided spectator seating and hospitality suites for corporate entertaining.
Design
The main building structure comprised circular hollow section steel columns connected in pairs with a bow string profile lattice truss of CHS steelwork spanning the main hall, with the structure being expressed the design was developed in close conjunction with the Architect to achieve the desired visual effect. The roof structure was designed to carry the netting to create batting and bowling lanes for individual coaching spaces, as well as to support a walkway and temporary television platform for televised matches, the clear roof span provided the uninterrupted space below required for the alternative usage. Externally the terraced seating and hospitality viewing area were formed with precast concrete planking supported off raking steelwork.