FaulknerBrowns consulted the local community at design stage to ensure the new Britannia Leisure Centre would be fit for the whole community. In 2018 Hackney Council approved of FaulknerBrowns proposals for the new Britannia Leisure Centre and in 2019 Hackney Council appointed Morgan Sindall Construction Ltd as main contractor and works commenced. The new Britannia Leisure Centre opened on 30th June 2021 and received over 10,000 visitors in its first week of opening!

The new Britannia Leisure Centre is a beautiful and vibrant, multi-story building, encompassed by tall pillars and columns of glass; resulting in a light and spacious indoors with pleasant views of Hackney’s great outdoors at Shoreditch Park. The windows provide views of all the activities taking place inside the building, encouraging visitors and passers-by to engage in sport and movement. Britannia Leisure Centre welcomed nearly 400,000 visitors in its first six months and participation in fitness, swimming and sports has increased by 161%. In 2022 Britannia Leisure Centre picked up a multitude of awards in recognition of its inclusive, accessible and sustainable design and activities. The list includes Overall Building of the Year at the New London Architecture Awards, Community Impact of the Year at the AJ100 Awards and Water Leisure Venue of the Year at the UK Pool & Spa Awards. Peter Murray OBE, Co-founder of New London Architecture (NLA) and Chair of the judging panel said: “Britannia Leisure Centre is not just an excellent amenity for the local community, it is a fine piece of city-making and a public building of great presence – a first class piece of civic architecture.” Architect Journal 100 judges said: ‘This building had inclusivity embedded into the design at every step.”

Click here to discover a full list of Britannia Leisure Centre’s Awards at FaulknerBrowns

The water leisure activities at Britannia Leisure Centre are provided on the ground floor. The scheme is bright and colourful. There are play items installed into an area without any water depth making this location inclusive and accessible for everyone to enjoy and a choice of play items in a shallow depth of water to encourage water confidence. There is a pool, perfect for first time swimming lessons and a row of Rooster Tail’s offering stimulating splashes at the deeper end of the flume pool.

The Elevations™ is situated in the zero standing water environment with steps to climb and a kiddie run-out waterslide. The staircases are complete with robust panels and handrails and the panels are transparent so parents and guardians can keep an eye on their young ones as they board and ride. There are eight interactive water features on Britannia’s Elevations™ incorporating Cascade funnels, Geysers, overhead Seeflow™ flowers, a water wall, a spray bar and our largest tipping bucket of all, the Supersplash. Other products in the zero-depth area include a spinning and splashing Helio No.3, a Fumbling Five, two Tube No.1 cannons, an Aqualien Flower No.1, Cascades No.2, a Water Tunnel No.2 and an Alto No.1 for hands-on water play.

The toddler pool is an aquatic play paradise for Britannia’s youngest water players, featuring low level products with gentle sprays and engaging technologies that enable children to closely interact with the products. There is much playability in the toddler pool. At the southern end of the pool, children will find a smiley Cascade No.1 with its water channels, funnels and weirs inviting young ones to explore and discover the wonders of water flow. This is a nice play item because a number of children can gather round and enjoy the activities together. There is a Luna No. 1 with Twistnozzle™ technology providing children with the ability to twist and turn the nozzles to redirect the water streams and a Tot Twister with a north spraying spout that children can rotate a full 360 degrees. The toddler pool is a happy place to be with aquatic friends Frog No.1 and Snail No.4 in the mix. Both Frog and Snail have differing water effects and Turntec™ technology enabling a 360° spin. There is also a cheerful Sunrise water slide made from Seeflow™ and an overflowing Bobble No.1 with a self-spinning orb that invites children to play with the water. The lowest of water features are the Water Jelly’s and arched ground sprays that are dotted around the pool. Britannia Leisure Centre offers climbing, sliding, twisting, turning, spinning and splashing and a favourite for every age and ability.

Facilities at Britannia Leisure Centre include a 25m pool with a sauna, steam room, training pool, aqua park, a six-court sports hall, four squash courts, a fitness suite, exercise studios and a soft play area, creche and café available to park users. There are two tennis courts and two 5-a-side football pitches on the roof of the building!

Principles of inclusivity and accessibility played a significant role in the design strategy for the new Centre. In developing the changing facilities, FaulknerBrowns consulted closely with Project Indigo, Hackney Council’s LGBTQ youth group and counselling service for young LGBTQ people and a choice between gendered, non-gendered, individual or group changing facilities sets a new benchmark for inclusive changing facilities in a public facility of this type.

Philip Glanville, Mayor of Hackney:

“After a very difficult few years due to the pandemic, I am so proud we have delivered one of London’s best leisure centres, with absolutely incredible facilities that are affordable and accessible for local people to enjoy. The new Britannia Leisure Centre is not just a fantastic, state-of-the-art and truly inclusive building, it’s a visible embodiment of our commitment to rebuild a better Hackney after the pandemic. This hasn’t always been easy, we have had to take risks, find new ways to finance our vision, but thanks to everyone involved we were able to make it happen. The new Britannia is an embodiment of our ambition to deliver high quality public facilities across Hackney that our residents need and deserve. I hope for generations to come it will help support young and old to improve their health and wellbeing, while bringing fun and joy to all those who use it.”

A new leisure centre, school and additional accommodation for Hackney

Britannia Leisure Centre is part of an ambitious, large mixed-use development scheme being carried out by Hackney Council and Morgan Sindall. The project is also establishing a new secondary school and additional accommodation. The London Borough of Hackney is an area that continues to grow in popularity and population.

Britannia Leisure Centre is managed by GLL / Better. To discover more, please visit: https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/london /hackney/britannia-leisure-centre