The Rose Bowl

The Miller Partnership

Category: Office, Commercial, Industrial, Leisure or Retail

Commendation

The cricket ground sits within a 64 hectare site in the west end and Botley region of Eastleigh, South Hampshire. The expanses of grassland, plantations and the ancient forests of the Telegraph woods give the site a parkland feel with an outlook to the urban fringe.

The Rose Bowl cricket grounds sits centrally in the site. The ground originally comprised of 10,000 permanent seats and space for temporary seating located between the trees on the edge of the circular berm. In order to homogenise the proposal and clarify the visual concept, a unifying structure, façade and roof treatment was adopted. The sickle structure was born out of a structural design solution for the unsupported roof to the permanent seating. The timber louvered external façade in its material and organic form refers to the parkland setting of the Rose Bowl in its landscape and to the materials used on the pavilion whilst allowing flexibility of light, permeability, fenestration and building use within. The lower linear buildings and uncomplicated roofline contrast but do not compete with the existing pavilion.

The original Rose Bowl concept of the prominent pavilion and ring of seating around the cricket ground is therefore maintained. The bowl enclosure is now elevated to the roof level.

The new stands accommodate 5000 permanent seats with unobstructed views, a covered concourse area, catering provisions, retail elements, press facilities, hospitality boxes and lounges along a gallery extension of the main seating deck.