North Herts College Sports Hub – Hitchin, Hertfordshire
Saunders were appointed to design a new sports building and 3G football pitch for North Herts College. The new facilities sit within an existing further education college site and form part of a mixed-use application which also includes a residential development of 116 dwellings by CALA Homes, which helped fund the development of the new facilities. The existing facilities were in need of modernisation. The new scheme replaces the previous sports hall and squash courts with a new building with a contemporary design. The state-of-the-art facilities include a multi-purpose sports hall, fitness gym, changing rooms, sports science teaching facilities and 3G football pitch for use by students and community groups. Prior to planning submission, there was close liaison with the college, cost consultants, planning consultants and sports consultants to develop an acceptable scheme which was affordable and met the requirements of the FA and Sport England.
The building is made up of a series of three dark and dramatic interconnecting boxes, decreasing in scale. The largest is the sports hall clad in ribbed matt black with vertical bands of varied widths over a plinth of robust dark brick. The medium size box provides changing and shower facilities with direct access to both the 3G pitch and the sports hall, also clad in black but with a different vertical cladding to the main hall. The smallest ‘box’ contains the gym. Obscured activity can be seen on arrival through a full height translucent screen. The entrance is marked with contrasting elements in vibrant pink which continue inside the building. At night, the gym has a ‘jewel like’ glow sitting below the entrance canopy. Sitting separate to the main college building it connects with the existing college campus via landscaped areas of public realm, which negotiate the significant level differences across the site. The design meets the requirements of the college curriculum and also serves the wider community as an out of hours sports facility.
The development enables the College to be at the forefront of sports science teaching in Hertfordshire by meeting the growing need for higher qualifications in sports, technology, and STEM-related roles for both school leavers and adult learners. Students now have access to more equipment and the latest innovations, allowing them to gain practical experience in industry skills to prepare them for their future careers.
As well as supporting teaching the new outdoor facilities support the growing demand for grassroots and youth football. The modern indoor facilities cater to local needs by providing a space for many sports, including badminton, basketball, netball, tennis, and cricket. Local teams and organisations have benefitted from hiring the facilities for events and matches.
Kit Davies, Principal of North Hertfordshire College and CEO of the Hart Learning Group, said:
“The new NHC Sports Hub provides our students with industry-standard and state-of-the-art facilities whilst studying at the College and gives them the best preparation for progressing to Higher Education and entering a career within the Sport, Fitness, and Exercise Science industry. The project has been a great example of collaborative working, both in the process of bringing the vision to reality and by providing a space for local community groups to benefit from as well. We are extremely proud of our facilities and the ongoing opportunities it provides for future generations.”
We are proud to feature and promote in our architecture magazine the innovative North Herts College Sports Hub in Hitchin
