Ipswich Academy School Sports Facility

Rubb builds ‘ingenious solution’ for sports facility at Ipswich Academy. Rubb Buildings Ltd joined forces with construction giant Balfour Beatty to deliver a custom-made sports structure.

The new campus is made up of two buildings, a main block which houses innovative spaces for teaching, and a sports block, which is a custom-made part fabric structure containing a mix of spaces as well as a main sports facility. Alongside the sports building is a new all-weather sports pitch built to FIFA** standards.

The split level 20m span x 70m long multi sports complex boasts a 7m high x 33m long playing area based on a four court badminton facility. This area, situated at the rear of the building, can also be converted to one basketball court, one netball court, one tennis court or one 5-aside football pitch. A 4m high x 37 long amenities block completes the front of the facility and includes an entrance lobby, a dance studio, executive studio, changing facilities, four store rooms, a seminar room and a construction zone. Visitors to the building enter via the main aluminium, glass panelled entrance which is operated electrically.

Rubb provided an ingenious solution for our new school; they were able to offer a design for a school sports facility that met our requirements and those of the planning authorities for a contemporary sports facility but which was affordable and deliverable within the original planning timelines. Our new sports hall is an eye-catching design, occupying a dominant location in the local area. The facility is widely used by the community and is creating a real impact within our community groups and is becoming a great source of community pride for us; it is a very popular venue. The sports hall has surpassed our expectations; it was delivered to time and budget and because of its innovative design, it is able to enhance the opportunities offered by Ipswich Academy. I would recommend Rubb to anyone considering investing in new sports facilities; it is a company that offers great solutions that in my experience are delivered on time and to budget.

Estates and Facilities Manager Steve Hawley

Thermohall® cladding is a composite structure consisting of a durable PVC layer and non-combustible glass wool high density insulation core inside an air-tight pocket and a self-cleaning PVC inner layer. The insulated panel system provides a full vapor seal which reduces infiltration losses, minimizes thermal bridging, reducing condensation on framing members and improving insulation efficiency. The environmentally controlled sports building facilitates internal heating and air conditioning. Three A-rated UPVC windows provide natural lighting to the sports facility.

The project required Rubb Buildings Ltd to adhere to main contractor Balfour Beatty’s ‘Zero Harm’ company ethos to ‘make safety personal’. Rubb’s position in the manufacturing sector requires strict compliance with laws, regulations and codes of conduct. Policies are in place with regard to Health and Safety and Quality and were naturally aligned to Balfour Beatty’s stringent safety guidelines.