Construction begins on Carnegie School of Sport building

Leeds Beckett University celebrated the commencement of construction on their new Carnegie School of Sport building with a topping out ceremony that was attended by university alumni from famous regional sports teams such as Leeds Rhinos, Yorkshire Carnegie, Yorkshire County Cricket Club, and Leeds United.

The Carnegie School of Sport has cost the university a total sum of £45M and will feature facilities such as research laboratories, hyperbaric chambers, a health and wellbeing studio, a covered rooftop 60m sprint track, and a rooftop walking track.

The Dean of the Carnegie School of Sport, Pete Mackreth stated: “We are pleased to mark this key milestone in the construction of the Carnegie School of Sport building. When it is completed, this outstanding facility will not only benefit our academics, students and elite athletes, but also the local community.

“As a civic university we play a key sporting role in the community, creating successful graduates who go on to shape the future of sport in the region. It was fitting that we welcomed back alumni from our sporting partners to celebrate the progress we have made.”

The position of main contractor has been appointed to the company Galliford Try after designs were carried out by the architectural firm Sheppard Robson.

The Managing Director for Galliford Try North East and Yorkshire, Cliff Wheatley commented: “It is great to see the excellent progress being made on the Carnegie School of Sport. We are proud to be working on such a fantastic project and we look forward to continuing our excellent relationship with Leeds Beckett as we work towards completion.”

An Associate Partner at Sheppard Robson, Alex Smith added: “The Carnegie School of Sport is a symbiotic relationship between designers and stakeholders. The design enhances the student and research experience via co-location, providing opportunities for the building to become a true landmark home that matches the University’s reputation within the field.”

While a Senior Architect at Sheppard Robson, Simon Davies concluded: “One of the key challenges is how we can create a contemporary addition to a historic campus. The building composition relies on a signature move elevating the indoor running track with the solid base developed with robust architectural details which reflect the existing historic buildings through a narrative of vertical fenestration and contemporary material palette.”

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