Oxford Council commissioned Grimshaw Architects to design  a sports facility and social centre for young people, to be constructed on a meadow in the west of the city beside the River Thames.  Grimshaws say on their website that the commission called for, "... a landmark scheme that could effectively act as its own advertisement. ... With a small budget and a site constrained by difficult ground conditions, Grimshaw decided to take a structural approach to the design of the building to accommodate these restrictions. As a building type, the ice rink requires a large, centralised column-free space and thus a wide span. ...



... A spine beam, formed from a pair of rectangular box sections, runs the full length of the building and supports the ice rink. ...


... This beam is 'hung' from two 30m high masts at either end of the building. These 'high readers' act as signs, visible at a distance from Oxford City Centre and a contemporary foil to the city's famous spires. ...





... The structural shell of the building provides a column free space and houses a 56m x 26m rink."

a meeting room, and a sports shop.  The facility's website claims that it, "... offers fun for all ages and abilities, from general skating, disco, family and mother & toddler sessions to skate training and ice hockey," adding that, "This ice rink which was refurbished in 2012 is brought to you by Oxford City Council, in partnership with Fusion, a highly experienced sports and active leisure services provider. As a registered charity, Fusion continually reinvest to improve and develop what’s on offer in your community."