Swindon Town FC Foundation Park

In early 2020, the Swindon Town FC Community Foundation moved into its purpose-built facility, located within the grounds of the 141-year-old football club.

The new-build sporting hub provides a central point for visitors, players and staff, as the entrance to the state of the art 4G pitch and athletics area.

The building consists of a wide-open lobby area, pristine changing room facilities, a conference/exhibition room upstairs, plus several offices and meeting rooms. In order to accentuate the contemporary style of the interior and exterior of the building, Tamlite Lighting were commissioned to deliver a modern lighting solution.

Multi-Function Room

The expansive multi-function room at Foundation Park is the jewel in the crown of this sports hub. The room fulfils a range of requirements, regularly hosting talks, educational programmes and other community events.

The room is well-lit by the large windows encompassing the wall overlooking the sports pitches and running track. Initial plans for the lighting in the room was intended to be much more functional, however the architect specifically requested Tamlite’s AIR suspended luminaire, to enhance the visual aesthetic and complement the natural light.

Jon Holloway, Head of Foundation, commented, “As a community foundation, we regularly give talks in our multi-purpose room. We wanted to move away from the standard function room style, and the Tamlite fittings really give the room character. We are delighted with how it has turned out.”

To allow room-users to select the lighting level that suits them, the dimmable luminaires in the multi-function room are controlled by DALI wall panels, programmed with 4 available lighting scenes.

Lighting for Sports

In the changing rooms, Tamlite installed ASTRO downlights, plus IP65 rated downlights in the shower area.

With hundreds of players using the changing rooms each week, Foundation Park required a lighting solution of high quality and minimal maintenance. It was essential that the luminaires reduced downtime, so luminaires that were water resistant were ideal for the changing rooms.

Self-Test Emergency Lighting

Throughout the building, self-test emergency versions of downlights were installed. With so many visitors at Foundation Park, including young children, it was crucial that the emergency lighting system could be kept up to standard (in line with BS5266), ensuring everyone can safely make their way out of the building in an emergency.

“We host a number of young people here, particularly on Friday evenings where we offer free sessions to varying age groups. Its important that everyone remains safe while they’re at the sports centre,” said Jon Holloway.

To provide peace of mind, the self-test emergency fittings conduct scheduled monthly short tests and annual 3-hours tests. Any faults are then communicated to the facility manager to be dealt with immediately, ensuring that the system is compliant and safe at all times.

External Lighting

The building entrance, and access from the building to the sports pitches, is illuminated with Tamlite TAURUS luminaires. These were specified in the stylish black version, enhancing the aesthetics of the outdoor area. The outdoor lighting delivers outstanding uniformity and maximises spacings, improving illumination levels and reducing the number of fittings required.

In addition to the interior emergency lighting, Tamlite delivered a range of emergency urban luminaires on the exterior of the building. This ensures that the outdoor spaces are illuminated to the required 5 lux in an emergency or loss of mains power, allowing people to assemble outside.

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