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Windsor 2019-22 Hopkins Architects Eton Sports and Aquatics is set in a historic, landscaped setting to create a grounded building that feels part of Eton's rich traditions of craftsmanship and is also an enjoyable, accessible space to use. A 25m, 8-lane indoor pool replaces a dilapidated outdoor pool and features an adjustable floor. A 4-court multi-purpose sports hall provides indoor space for badminton, basketball, five-a-side football, volleyball, and gymnastics, and can adapt to become a 200-seat examination hall. Designed as a playful arrangement of open and closed volumes, the building is approached through a walled and landscaped courtyard. A double-height arrival space leads either up to the sports spectator space, the sports hall, or the changing areas. The interior design features a simple palette of brick and timber, in keeping with the finely crafted buildings across the campus, and provides a clear expression of the large glulam structure used to span the hall. A simple massing expresses the pool and sports hall as two distinct volumes, both of which have flat roofs and minimum internal clearances to ensure that they sit within the landscape and below the treeline. awards 2023 RIBA Regional Award 2023 AIA UK Medium Project |