Saints Boardriders

Start Date: February - 2016

Sector(s): Commercial, Leisure

Gross Internal Floor Area: 200 m²

Client: Saints Boardriders

Structural Engineer: Derek Smith

Main Contractor: Tregenna Castle

Project Brief

Saints Board Riders, St. Ives is a non-profit community group set up in 2008, now with 186 members, to create a happy, safe and supportive environment for local children who want to get involved with surfing, which has proven health and wellbeing benefits. Saints Boardriders Club negotiated a lease for the Porthmeor Carpark Public Convenience block, with a view to constructing a new Clubhouse with replacement Public Conveniences as part of the scheme.

The brief of this project was to design a new two storey building to be constructed in place of the existing structure, see figure 2 below, with no impact on the existing parking and turning provision in the Carpark.

CASA Studio's Solution

The new two-storey building accommodates a Boardstore, replacement Public Conveniences to match the existing provision of Male, Female and Wheelchair Accessible Toilets, coin-operated Hot Showers for public use and a Kiosk on the Ground floor, the latter of which will be let out to fund the cleaning and maintenance of the Public Conveniences. The Clubhouse is on the 1st floor with full wheelchair and other disabled access from the footpath at this level, with views across the whole of Porthmeor Beach from the Island to the East and Clodgy Point to the West. There is also a Wheelchair Accessible Shower with WC, to provide the young and sometimes disabled clients of The Wave Project with a private room to shower and change after their surf; and an Office with at least three workspaces, one of which will be provided for The Wave Project team.

The building has been designed as a direct response to the site conditions, using the minimum scale possible with the Blue Elvan geology under the Southern part of the building and the space required by the different elements of the building. The design of the building reflects the young, vibrant nature of the Surf Club, while responding to the surrounding natural and built environment, with a keen focus on sustainability in construction and use.