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Home to Europe's largest indoor synthetic pitch, Oriam is the number one destination for sport in Scotland.
Oriam, Scotland’s Sports Performance Centre
“Absolutely awe inspiring, the jewel in the crown of Scotland's sports facilities”. Nicola Sturgeon - former First Minister of Scotland
Architect: Reiach & Hall Architects
For: Heriot-Watt University, the City of Edinburgh Council and Sport Scotland
I have worked with Engenuiti since their formation and continue to employ them and recommend them to clients. Their enthusiasm for new challenges makes them fun to have on projects. I look forward to working with them in the future. Peter Curtis – Hadron Consulting
Oriam is Scotland’s National Sports Performance Centre and the high-performance training base for the Scottish FA, Scottish Rugby Union, and national governing bodies for handball, basketball, volleyball, squash, and racketball.
Located on the southern edge of Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh campus, the facility is defined by two asymmetrically curved barrel-vaulted halls that give Oriam its distinctive architectural identity. Together, they house Europe’s largest indoor 3G pitch hall, alongside elite training, recovery, and spectator facilities.
The larger southern hall spans a 116 × 76-metre subdivisible artificial grass pitch designed for football and rugby. Running along its external edge is a professional training studio, with offices and teaching spaces positioned above to support performance analysis and education.
The secondary hall is configured for indoor sport and can be divided into nine courts for basketball and handball. At one end, a two-level arrangement accommodates a fitness studio, exhibition space, and café, creating a social and functional hub within the building.
A 12-metre-wide internal circulation zone forms a central “street” between the two halls, with entrances at either end. Seventeen structural columns line this route, acting as shared abutments for the twin arch structures. Athlete changing facilities are integrated into the intermediate spaces, with short stair flights leading up to the raised playing surfaces. Above, a narrow spectator gallery provides seating for up to 500 people.
The design sensitively incorporates an existing Victorian garden wall, now forming a separation between the changing areas and the main circulation axis. Daylight is filtered through translucent PVC roof membranes and polycarbonate end façades, significantly reducing the need for artificial lighting during daytime operation.
Photography (c) Ioana Marinescu
Awards
Institution of Structural Engineers Awards - 2017 Shortlisted
Structural Steel Design Awards - 2017 Shortlisted
British Construction Industry Awards - 2017 Building of the Year
Civic Trust Architecture Awards - 2018 Highly Commended
Scottish Design Awards - 2017 Architecture Grand Prix Winner
Scottish Design Awards - 2016 Future Building Awards Winner
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