Oriam is Scotland's national performance centre for sport, based at Heriot-Watt University's Riccarton campus in Edinburgh. The Scottish Rugby Union and the Scottish Football Association use it as a training facility, Heart of Midlothian F.C. rent the centre for first-team training and to run their academy. It is also used by other sports teams, students and members of the public.
A review of Scottish football, led by former First Minister of Scotland Henry McLeish, picked up on the lack of facilities in Scotland in the first report published in April 2010. [1] In February 2012, Sport Minister Shona Robison announced that £25 million from the Scottish Government's Young Scots Fund would be put towards a new multi-sports centre which would include a national football academy. [2] Universities, colleges and local authorities were invited to bid. [3] By August 2013 there were three finalists. [4] In September 2013, it was announced that the design by Reiach & Hall was chosen. [5] [6] The remaining £9 million towards the cost of building came from Sportscotland, Heriot-Watt University and the City of Edinburgh Council. [7]
Construction work began in March 2015. [8] The £33 million facility opened in August 2016. The indoor football pitch is covered by a curved steel frame with a PVC roof, [9] the shape of which has been likened to the trajectory of "the goal which defied physics" which was scored by Brazilian football player Roberto Carlos against France in 1997. [10] [11] [12] The building won the Future Building section at the 2016 Scottish Design Awards. [13] [14]
The Scottish Rugby Union and the Scottish Football Association have both made long-term commitments to using Oriam ahead of international fixtures. [15] Heart of Midlothian F.C. use the facility to run their academy and for first-team training. [16] The Scottish Handball Association, basketballscotland and Scottish Netball also use the facility. [17] Furthermore, it is used by the recently formed professional women's team in basketball and handball, both launched in summer 2016. [18] Unlike some elite performance facilities, Oriam will be available to other sports teams, students and members of the public. [19] [20] For the 2016–17 season, Hibernian F.C. will play their under-20 fixtures at Oriam. [15]
The centre has a FIFA-accredited indoor synthetic 3G pitch which is the largest of its type in Europe. [11] [21] [22] [23] [24] Its dimensions of 116 yards by 76 yards are the same size as those of Hampden Park's pitch. [12] [15] [25] [26] At the midpoint of this playing space, the roof is 28m high and there is a 15m playing height at the sides. [15] The space accommodates a viewing area that can seat 500 people. [15] There is also a synthetic pitch outdoors. There are natural surfaces outside too- five grass football pitches and two grass rugby pitches. [12]
Indoors there is a 12-court sports hall, eight squash courts and a four-court sports hall. [27] Other facilities available on the high-performance side of the centre include a HydroWorx 3500i Series hydrotherapy pool with an integrated treadmill, a rehabilitation area and gym area for strength and conditioning. [25]
A 160-bed hotel is to be located on the site, to open in 2017. [12] [19]
Other indoor football facilities in Scotland:
55°54′36″N 3°18′56″W / 55.9101°N 3.3156°W
Oriam is Scotland's national performance centre for sport, based at Heriot-Watt University's Riccarton campus in Edinburgh. The Scottish Rugby Union and the Scottish Football Association use it as a training facility, Heart of Midlothian F.C. rent the centre for first-team training and to run their academy. It is also used by other sports teams, students and members of the public.
A review of Scottish football, led by former First Minister of Scotland Henry McLeish, picked up on the lack of facilities in Scotland in the first report published in April 2010. [1] In February 2012, Sport Minister Shona Robison announced that £25 million from the Scottish Government's Young Scots Fund would be put towards a new multi-sports centre which would include a national football academy. [2] Universities, colleges and local authorities were invited to bid. [3] By August 2013 there were three finalists. [4] In September 2013, it was announced that the design by Reiach & Hall was chosen. [5] [6] The remaining £9 million towards the cost of building came from Sportscotland, Heriot-Watt University and the City of Edinburgh Council. [7]
Construction work began in March 2015. [8] The £33 million facility opened in August 2016. The indoor football pitch is covered by a curved steel frame with a PVC roof, [9] the shape of which has been likened to the trajectory of "the goal which defied physics" which was scored by Brazilian football player Roberto Carlos against France in 1997. [10] [11] [12] The building won the Future Building section at the 2016 Scottish Design Awards. [13] [14]
The Scottish Rugby Union and the Scottish Football Association have both made long-term commitments to using Oriam ahead of international fixtures. [15] Heart of Midlothian F.C. use the facility to run their academy and for first-team training. [16] The Scottish Handball Association, basketballscotland and Scottish Netball also use the facility. [17] Furthermore, it is used by the recently formed professional women's team in basketball and handball, both launched in summer 2016. [18] Unlike some elite performance facilities, Oriam will be available to other sports teams, students and members of the public. [19] [20] For the 2016–17 season, Hibernian F.C. will play their under-20 fixtures at Oriam. [15]
The centre has a FIFA-accredited indoor synthetic 3G pitch which is the largest of its type in Europe. [11] [21] [22] [23] [24] Its dimensions of 116 yards by 76 yards are the same size as those of Hampden Park's pitch. [12] [15] [25] [26] At the midpoint of this playing space, the roof is 28m high and there is a 15m playing height at the sides. [15] The space accommodates a viewing area that can seat 500 people. [15] There is also a synthetic pitch outdoors. There are natural surfaces outside too- five grass football pitches and two grass rugby pitches. [12]
Indoors there is a 12-court sports hall, eight squash courts and a four-court sports hall. [27] Other facilities available on the high-performance side of the centre include a HydroWorx 3500i Series hydrotherapy pool with an integrated treadmill, a rehabilitation area and gym area for strength and conditioning. [25]
A 160-bed hotel is to be located on the site, to open in 2017. [12] [19]
Other indoor football facilities in Scotland:
55°54′36″N 3°18′56″W / 55.9101°N 3.3156°W