How Structural Steel Has Helped Shape Bournemouth’s Landscape
Bournemouth has a fascinating architectural heritage, mixing Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco styles. Famous for its golden sandy beaches and historic pier, this picturesque seaside town is a cultural hotspot attracting visitors from all over the world.
They are largely drawn by the town’s architectural beauty and artistic vibrancy, predominantly in brick and stone. Steel has also been used in major building projects, especially more recently alongside the popularity of high-rise buildings. Here we take a look at some of the most interesting Bournemouth steel construction projects.
Early Steel Use – The Winter Gardens
One of the earliest and most historically important uses of a steel structure in Bournemouth relates to the Winter Gardens building. The original Crystal Palace of the Summer and Winter Gardens was a large glass pavilion built in 1875, said to have been capable of holding around 4,000 people.
It was leased to Bournemouth Corporation in 1893 and became a concert venue: home to the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, with visiting conductors including Edward Elgar, Jean Sibelius and Gustav Holst. The original building was demolished in 1935.
The site was rebuilt using a steel skeleton enclosed with brick and a timber roof at a cost of £30,000 as a state-of-the-art indoor bowling green. The official opening occurred on 4th November 1937.
The Pavilion Theatre (1929)
The Pavilion Theatre was built between 1928 and 1929, located close to the seafront in the Lower Gardens, Bournemouth. The architects were G Wyville Home and Shirley Knight. The theatre originally comprised a 1,518-seat theatre with a ballroom and supper rooms. It is described as a “beaux arts composition in stripped classical style, constructed of red brick with Empire stone dressings and pan-tiled roofs.”
The Pavilion Theatre underwent a £12 million restoration project in 2007 and 2008 to refurbish the property. The work involved removing the 1975 extension, improving service and drainage, and repairing the period features of the building to restore them back to their former glory.
Bournemouth International Centre (BIC)
The Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) was constructed between 1982 and 1984, opening in September 1984 as one of the largest venues for conferences, exhibitions, entertainment and events in southern England. The centre is well known for hosting national conferences of major British political parties and trade unions.
The BIC’s original construction cost was £19.5 million (equivalent to approximately £69.5 million in 2025 values). The building was expanded in 1990 with the addition of the Purbeck Hall and then renovated in 2004.
A notable feat of steel engineering exists inside the BIC’s main Windsor Hall. This is the tension wire grid installation which comprises 36 miles of steel cabling and 75 tonnes of steel, covering the entire 2,500 square metre roof space of the Windsor Hall.
Bournemouth University Fusion Building
Another hugely important Bournemouth steel construction project is Bournemouth University’s Fusion Building, which received a £22 million investment and was partially funded through a £5 million Higher Education Funding Council for England STEM Award.
The building features 27 new seminar rooms, three lecture theatres, research space, a 24-station PC laboratory, rooftop terraces and catering facilities, topped with a glass-domed roof. It has been described as the university’s most environmentally sustainable building to date.
The building was constructed by Willmott Dixon and designed by architects BDP (Building Design Partnership). Novum Structures was contracted to design, engineer, fabricate and install a glass-clad grid shell skylight (the dome), utilising a Block Knoten System clad with triangular double-glazed panels. The building’s construction used steel as the main material for the main frame and floors due to its robustness and ability to withstand high-tech equipment.
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