Stretch Ceiling by Pristine Ceilings
Dollan Aqua Centre, East Kilbride, Scotland
Mary Walker, architect, South Lanarkshire Council
Scottish Modernist Alexander Buchanan Campbell’s Dollan Aqua Centre was completed in 1968. It is the only centre to be grade A listed by Historic Scotland.
It is made from huge reinforced concrete ribs and roof shell, and its side walls are completely glazed. Hanging beneath these ribs was a white sprayed concrete roof with a crawl space between that would have allowed access to ducts and soffit lighting.
This sprayed concrete, however, was impregnated with asbestos and was removed in the 1980s. It was replaced with another sprayed concrete roof, but humidity in the space meant it never really set, and occasionally clods would fall to the pool space below.
When it came to the refurbishment of the pool at the end of 2008, the ceiling was so pocked and dirty that we decided to do away with it completely. Historic Scotland insisted that the replacement maintain the same profile, and our performance criteria were that the roof be fire retardant and that it would form a vapour barrier between the structural roof and the pool space.
We opted for Pristine’s Stretch Ceiling — a stretched PVC membrane installed onto a steel track framework. As asbestos traces had been found in the original concrete roof, it had been encapsulated, meaning that Pristine could not drill into it. Instead, it opted for a clamping system attached to the ribs from which to hang the track framework. The PVC was then heat-treated and installed into the track, contracting as it cooled to stretch over it.
The pool has been open for a few months and the first thing you notice when you walk in is how bright and clean the space feels. Alexander Campbell always said once that he wanted the interior of his pool to feel like a marquee, and we think he would have been happy with the result.
Tips of the Trade: Avoiding refurbishment pitfalls
| 01 For refurbishment of an existing building you should consider its age, whether it is listed and its condition. Undertake a structural/ground investigations and surveys to assess the materials use in the building. The form of construction needs to be determined as well as any protection requirements of important features. |
| 02 If demolition is to be undertaken and the building contains asbestos, a type 3 intrusive survey will require the building to be vacated and the Health & Safety Executive to be notified. You will need a thorough understanding of the surrounding environment to mitigate the impact of noise and vibration. If necessary speak to the environmental health officer. |
| 03 In terms of logistics you need to consider any traffic restrictions — such as Red Routes and parking bays — plus road and footpath widths. You may need licenses and/or approvals from the local authority. If you plan to use a hoist where will it stand and can it be fed effectively? Will you be using scaffolding or cranes that may require road closures? |
| 04 Programming is vital. Items that have long lead times — such as lifts, stone, windows, curtain walling — need to be identified. Structural alterations need to sequenced in detail. There will be more than one critical path and this will change during the project, so progress needs to be monitored and your team needs to adopt a flexible approach to react quickly to changing situations. |
| 05 If the building is occupied while refurbishment is taking place ensure you have an experienced manager in place to deal with tenants and make sure any building services will not be disturbed by the work. |
By Brian Tippett, head of planning, Kier London
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