We’re delighted to introduce Paul Reed as GT3 Architects’ new Sport & Leisure Sector Lead!
Having joined GT3 in 2017, Paul has built his extensive expertise and knowledge in sport and leisure. Across his 18+ year career, Paul has designed and delivered world class sporting, leisure and events facilities of all scales, from community-based leisure centres to elite training academies, stadiums and arenas.
Together with Director Mark Gowdridge, Paul is the driving force GT3 Architects Community + service, a strategic engagement and design service, specifically tailored for sport, leisure & community-driven facilities.
Over the course of his career, Sport and Leisure has been at the heart of Paul’s portfolio of projects. He has designed and delivered stadiums and arenas across the world, including the London Olympic Stadium, Man City Academy Stadium & Training Grounds, Olympique Lyonnais stadium and The Beacon of Light.
He has also delivered a number of elite sporting university facilities at Oxford, Durham and Edinburgh and is currently leading on several multi-million-pound leisure developments, including Hartlepool’s Highlight, The Sands Community Hub & Arena and Pendleton Community Wellbeing Centre.
Paul comments;
“I’m delighted to be officially stepping into the role of GT3s Sport & Leisure Lead.
As the UK continues to move out of the global pandemic, the role of sport and leisure has never had a more important role to play. The wider public health of the nation is high on the agenda and as designers and thought leaders we have a real opportunity to contribute and improve the current public health crisis, and the physical and mental wellbeing of our local communities. We as an industry need to fully understand how our designs can be used to provide more welcoming and inclusive facilities for all, improving both the physical and mental health of our communities in the process.
The facilities we design, be it at elite or community level need to provide inspiring, inclusive and sustainable environments for all, to encourage as many varying users types to partake and maintain a level of activity. I’m enjoying spearheading a number of R&D initiatives to better understand the potential barriers various user groups face across the spectrum, from care givers and parents to users with autism and dementia. Our goal is to utilise this research to deliver welcoming, exciting and well-balanced facilities, that better support both our clients, communities and our sustainability targets.”