In Brief
Client: Flip Out UK
Location: Southampton
Completion Date: Completed Spring 2016
We were appointed by our client, Flip Out, to transform an empty industrial warehouse within the small but busy town in of Chandler’s Ford in the Borough of Eastleigh, Southampton, Hampshire.
The empty warehouse was a perfect blank canvas to transform the building into an impressive new recreational facility in the heart of the local town of Chandler’s Ford and within minutes’ of Southampton.
Time was of the essence for Flip Out Southampton. They were extremely eager to get the project started to meet with their approaching opening deadline and determined budget. They required help from our team at Croft Architecture to swiftly and successfully acquire planning permission for their project to progress rapidly, ensuring project completion on budget and on time for the business to open in accordance with their business plan.
In Context
The concept of Flip Out Trampoline Centres offer so much more than just a trampolining club.
Flip Out is a leisure phenomenon from Australia that’s so popular there the franchise had rapidly spread across the country and now Australia’s largest trampolining sensation has reached the UK.
Flip Out aims to provide a unique and fun experience for all, no matter the purpose of their visit, whether they’ve arrived for a highly intensive session to improve their skills, going to a children’s party or simply sitting back and relaxing with friends in the café.
There’s something for everyone, no matter their age or reason for visiting. The Flip Out experience aspires to delight all.
The Concept
The main aim of the refurbishment for the Flip Out Trampoline Arena was to provide essential recreational space and facilities, whilst modernising the empty existing building to create an exciting yet safe environment for health, fitness and most importantly ‘fun’.
It was essential to successfully convey Flip Out’s brand & ethos throughout the conversion. Our team at Croft Architecture wanted to create a fresh modern leisure facility for the Borough of Eastleigh, Southampton, establishing Flip Out as a new “Social Hub” within minutes’ walk of the town centre of Chandler’s Ford.
It was essential to create an environment where people of all generations would be inspired to visit on a regular basis, to maintain a healthy lifestyle, whilst creating an exciting new ‘hub’ to meet, exercise and have a good time.
Our Approach
Flip Out’s short deadline and budget for this scheme meant that time management and financial control was at the forefront our teams’ project plan and execution.
Before progressing with the project our client wanted assurance that the building was the right investment for their business plan and if they should proceed on the site in Chandler’s Ford.
Our team met initially with our client on site to survey the building and discuss its potential. We appraised the site to identify the property’s suitability for a new Flip Out trampoline arena and thereafter discussed the sites potential.
Upon inspection we identified that the empty warehouse was suitable for a new Flip Out trampoline arena and it was in a great location to become a thriving business.
Our clients required planning approval to change the buildings use from industrial usage for leisure operations. In addition to obtaining planning consent the building needed a comprehensive internal refurbishment to ensure that Flip Out Southampton complied with the latest Building Regulations, whilst the properties interior emulated the Flip Out brand style that’s vibrant, fun and funky.
Design Approach
It was imperative for the interior design to replicate and enrich the brand identity of the Flip Out.
Our design for the new arena corresponds well with Flip Out's style, creating a new modern, light and spacious environment split over two floors, whilst ensuring that project complies with the latest building regulations, including fire safety and also access.
The scheme accurately conveys ‘Flip Outs’ ethos’; of fun filled, high energy experiences that entertain not just children, but people of all ages, in a new engaging environment that also considers the needs of spectators too.
Visitors are greeted by a radically transformed awe inspiring space, using Flip Out's vibrant and exciting colour scheme of green and black, combined with galvanised look to produce an urban feel to the trampoline arena and colossal graffiti in keeping with the ‘Street style’ to truly convey Flip Outs’ ethos of a fun filled brand-new experience.
Flip Outs’ business concept was an important design consideration. We aspired to create a specific environment tailored to the needs of the mums, dads, grandparents and guardians to sit back, relax and converse in calm environment, whilst still keeping a watchful eye out to ensure the safety of their youngsters.
This was achieved through the formation of a new mezzanine floor that provides extra space over the ground floor facilities, creating a fantastic double height viewing area to sit back, relax and enjoy watching the thrills and spills below. In addition to Flip Outs’ new café area on the mezzanine level, the arena also has a 'Pizza Oven' eatery (operating as an independent business from Flip Out) providing customers with further choice and the opportunity to extend their visit.
The large modern indoor arena has a variety of designated zones for the wide range of activities and age groups combining play with health and fitness.
Flip Out Southampton offers:
- Flip Out Southampton has a total of 96 trampolines over 2300 metres squared.
- Smaller children’s trampolines and safety foam pit.
- Adult or larger trampolines and safety foam pit.
- 2 walled runners to create the ultimate bouncing experience from floor to wall.
- ‘Slam Ball’ where jumpers can practice their bouncing & basketball skills all at once with trampolines and basketball hoops!
- Half Pipe Walls for the ultimate bouncing experience to try out new skills.
- Little Ninjas and Adult agility classes give you the chance to spread your wings to learn new flips and tricks to bounce in style.
- The DJ Booth provides the all essential background music in the evening to excite and inspire jumpers moves.
- There's a human Pinball Circuit, where you can endlessly bounce between two trampoline walls
and fall into a huge pit filled foam blocks to dive into. - A parkour area where you can try free-running.
- Party in style in one of the purpose built party rooms.
- Calm and relaxing café & spectator’s area on a mezzanine floor with a Pizza Oven restaurant
- A large free car park with 200 spaces.
Our team closely managed the project on behalf of Flip Out Southampton; leading the project team, coordinating on site works and meticulously monitoring progress, to ensure that the scheme was progressing technically in accordance with the drawings, schedule and budget.
A strong working relationship between our team and Flip Out enabled us the rapidly propel the project forwards within a short time frame. We’re extremely pleased that scheme was successfully completed in accordance with Flip Out’s timescales and budget.
