Sport
FACT FILE
Thruxton Motorsports
Centre, Hampshire
Main client:
British Automobile
Racing Club
Architect:
Chapman Partnership
Main contractor:
Mata Construction
Steelwork contractor:
REIDsteel
Steel tonnage: 60t
NSC 17
May18
The hospitality suite
is part of a larger
redevelopment at
Thruxton
After being value-engineered, the design
still retained many of the architect’s original
concepts, such as keeping as much of the steel
frame as visible as possible.
According to REIDsteel it was also
important to keep the design as modernlooking
as possible and so all of the main
columns and beams are box sections, as they
are said to have a more aesthetic appearance.
Steelwork for the 1,415m2 hospitality
centre is based around a regular grid, albeit
one that radiates inwards around a constant
radius on one side of the structure to form
the fan-like area.
To form the roof of the fan, four rafters
splay out from a central point, supporting the
curved members that form the barrel-vault.
The structure has minimal internal
columns, creating open-plan areas and
maximum flexibility, with spans generally up
to 10.5m-long.
Stability for the structure is provided by
semi-continuous frames for the ground floor,
while the first floor is a mix of portalised and
tied barrel roofs.
“The requirement to keep the steelwork
exposed within the completed building
dictated the stability system we chose for each
floor,” explains Mr Harrison.
The upper level has a lot of glazing and so
an unobtrusive portal frame was deemed to
be the most effective method.
The hospitality suite will be able to host
up to 400 guests over two floors, with extra
capacity available outside on the balcony.
The balcony is 3.5m-wide along the curved
part of the building, but increases in depth to
6.7m along the straight part of the structure.
Temporary grandstands could be erected
along this wider floorspace, helping the
complex to add to its capacity.
The wider part of the balcony can also be
used to exhibit cars during launch events. To
enable vehicles to be lifted on to the balcony
the steel balustrade is removable.
At the rear of the building, positioned
at the point where the curved fan-like part
connects to the rectangular part of the
building, there is an 8m-diameter round
turret that contains the main staircase.
The staircase is attached to the roof of the
turret via a series of Macalloy rods. Because
the stairs also provide a fire escape route, the
rods are deemed to not offer enough support
so the staircase also cantilevers off the side of
the turret.
Steelwork’s speed of
construction was one
of the main reasons for
its use
The turret is a facetted circle formed with
16 straight sides. This negated the need for
more expensive curved members and made
the installation of the glazing easier, as curved
glazing panels are also expensive.
Mr Harrison says: “Thruxton wanted an
innovative and modern hospitality centre
to reflect its status as one of the most iconic
racing venues in the UK.
“Having designed, manufactured and
supplied stadia for a wide range of clients, we
are delighted to have delivered this landmark
project which will support the venue’s growth
for years to come.”
Summing up, Marketing Manager at
Thruxton Ben Norton says: “Our flagship
hospitality centre is the latest addition as part
of ambitious modernisation and growth plans
in our 50th anniversary year.
“It is an exciting development which will
allow us to deliver stunning and memorable
events for groups of all sizes with hospitality
of the highest standard.”
/Steel_construction_products#Structural_hollow_sections
/Concept_design#Floor_grids
/Fabrication#Tube_bending
/Concept_design#Structural_options_for_stability
/Portal_frames
/Construction#Steel_erection
/Steel-supported_glazed_facades_and_roofs#Glazing_systems_with_pressure_plates
/Leisure_buildings#Stadia