Mountain and Watersports Centre – www.davidwilson-arcnitect.com

Bluelough Mountain & Watersports Centre involved the Refurbishment of an existing listed building in Grange Courtyard, Castlewellan forest park.  The buildings are owned by the Forestry Service and leased to Highpoint group who had been using them for some years.  The ground floor had been used for livestock and Forestry Service storage and the first floor as the centre.  The Highpoint group negotiated the lease of the whole of the building and part of an equipment barn behind.  The building was re roofed, blocked up windows opened and all sash windows replaced.  The first floor was opened up as one reception hall with new stairs and disabled lift at one end.  The only fixed furniture we designed was the Oval reception desk / coffee point.  The ground floor was totally cleared, excavated and re floored and now houses an open plan Unisex changing area with showers, toilets and disabled facilities.  A two storey annex was built in the rear barn for plant room, equipment store, drying areas and escape stair.  The project uses biomass technology for space and water heating.