Wales gains new adventure destination as first waves break at Surf Snowdonia
POSTED 31 Jul 2015 . BY Tom Anstey
The Snowdonia attraction caters to surfers of all levels, with its own surf academy Credit: Surf Snowdonia
One of Wales’ largest visitor attractions is set to welcome its first guests as Surf Snowdonia – an artificial surf lagoon built on the site of an old aluminium works – starts to break waves on the edge of Snowdonia National Park.
The £15m (US$23.3m, €21.3m) development – designed by architectural firm seven with Planit operating as consultants, NJL consulting as masterplanners and Wardell Armstrong as engineers – uses brand new wave technology from Spanish company Wave Garden.
Wave Garden’s technology is formed around a central pontoon housing an underwater ‘plough’ that creates a 2m (6.6ft) high wave once every minute over the length of the 300m (984ft), 30,000sq m (322,000sq ft) lagoon. It will be the world's first commercial application of the technology, which has created the longest man-made surf wave in the world. Up to 52 surfers can be accommodated in the lagoon at one time, with rides lasting about 18 seconds. The consistent wave technology is far reaching, opening up the possibility of surfing eventually becoming an Olympic sport.
The Snowdonia attraction caters to surfers of all levels, with its own surf academy teaching surfing, bodyboarding, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), surf yoga, surf fitness and open-water swimming. Also featured is a media compound for international competitions, low impact sleeping ‘pods’ along the lake’s waterfront, a restaurant, retail and indoor play facilities. Larger accommodation lodges have also been built and will retain the natural character of the woodlands surrounding the lake.
The attraction expects to welcome around 75,000 people a year. Architects seven have designed the main Hub Building with a 50m (164ft)-long glazed elevation overlooking the surfing lake, giving spectators clear views of the action from the restaurant and retail spaces. The building also contains the main reception, equipment hire and changing facilities.
The development is very eco-friendly, with much of the former aluminium factory’s parts reused in the development and the lake filled using 100 per cent rainwater collected from the mountains.
The development was designed by architectural firm seven with Planit as consultants, NJL consulting as masterplanners and Wardell Armstrong as engineers Credit: Planit
The consistent wave technology is far reaching, opening up the possibility of surfing eventually becoming an Olympic sport Credit: Surf Snowdonia
Surf Snowdonia gets final approval for north Wales site POSTED 06 May 2014. BY Tom Anstey Plans for a huge surf facility in Snowden, north Wales have been given the go-
ahead after gaining unanimous consent from Conwy County Borough
councillors.
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Wales gains new adventure destination as first waves break at Surf Snowdonia
POSTED 31 Jul 2015 . BY Tom Anstey
The Snowdonia attraction caters to surfers of all levels, with its own surf academy Credit: Surf Snowdonia
One of Wales’ largest visitor attractions is set to welcome its first guests as Surf Snowdonia – an artificial surf lagoon built on the site of an old aluminium works – starts to break waves on the edge of Snowdonia National Park.
The £15m (US$23.3m, €21.3m) development – designed by architectural firm seven with Planit operating as consultants, NJL consulting as masterplanners and Wardell Armstrong as engineers – uses brand new wave technology from Spanish company Wave Garden.
Wave Garden’s technology is formed around a central pontoon housing an underwater ‘plough’ that creates a 2m (6.6ft) high wave once every minute over the length of the 300m (984ft), 30,000sq m (322,000sq ft) lagoon. It will be the world's first commercial application of the technology, which has created the longest man-made surf wave in the world. Up to 52 surfers can be accommodated in the lagoon at one time, with rides lasting about 18 seconds. The consistent wave technology is far reaching, opening up the possibility of surfing eventually becoming an Olympic sport.
The Snowdonia attraction caters to surfers of all levels, with its own surf academy teaching surfing, bodyboarding, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), surf yoga, surf fitness and open-water swimming. Also featured is a media compound for international competitions, low impact sleeping ‘pods’ along the lake’s waterfront, a restaurant, retail and indoor play facilities. Larger accommodation lodges have also been built and will retain the natural character of the woodlands surrounding the lake.
The attraction expects to welcome around 75,000 people a year. Architects seven have designed the main Hub Building with a 50m (164ft)-long glazed elevation overlooking the surfing lake, giving spectators clear views of the action from the restaurant and retail spaces. The building also contains the main reception, equipment hire and changing facilities.
The development is very eco-friendly, with much of the former aluminium factory’s parts reused in the development and the lake filled using 100 per cent rainwater collected from the mountains.
The development was designed by architectural firm seven with Planit as consultants, NJL consulting as masterplanners and Wardell Armstrong as engineers Credit: Planit
The consistent wave technology is far reaching, opening up the possibility of surfing eventually becoming an Olympic sport Credit: Surf Snowdonia
Surf Snowdonia gets final approval for north Wales site POSTED 06 May 2014. BY Tom Anstey Plans for a huge surf facility in Snowden, north Wales have been given the go-
ahead after gaining unanimous consent from Conwy County Borough
councillors.
London Museum will open four new food and drink destinations when it launches its new home
at Smithfield on 28 November, making hospitality a central part of the visitor experience at one
of the capital's biggest cultural openings of the year.
OMA has completed a major transformation of New York's New Museum, creating a larger
cultural campus that combines expanded exhibition spaces with learning, performance,
hospitality and public programming.
A US$50 million (£44.2 million, €51.2 million) transformation of Chicago's historic McCormick
Mansion has created a new destination that combines live magic, immersive theatre, dining and
private membership under one roof.
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana
Heritage
Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive
storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
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