Xscape (building)

Xscape is a brand name for buildings developed by X-Leisure, now part of Landsec in England. Typically they contain a real snow indoor ski slope, leisure facilities and related shops. As of 2017, there are two members of the chain, in Milton Keynes and Castleford.[1] A former member in Scotland has been sold. Xscape Milton Keynes and Xscape Yorkshire were designed by FaulknerBrowns Architects.[2]

Xscape Milton Keynes

Xscape Milton Keynes
Xscape Milton Keynes seen from across Secklow Gate
Xscape Milton Keynes seen from across Secklow Gate
Map
General information
StatusCompleted
AddressAvebury Boulevard, Central Milton Keynes
Town or cityMilton Keynes
CountryEngland
Coordinates52°02′29″N 0°44′56″W / 52.0414°N 0.7489°W / 52.0414; -0.7489
Elevation105 metres (344 ft)
Opened2000
ClientX-Leisure
Height
Roof44 metres (144 ft) (max)
Design and construction
Architecture firmFaulknerBrowns
Website
www.xscape.co.uk/milton-keynes

Xscape Milton Keynes (Buckinghamshire) opened in July 2000 and is a major feature on the skyline of Central Milton Keynes as seen from the east. The front of the Xscape building is 44 metres high,[3] making it the second tallest building in Milton Keynes after Hotel La Tour on Marlborough Gate.[4] Xscape Milton Keynes features a 170 m long real-snow ski slope, a 16-screen cinema, a number of shops and restaurants, a casino and a trampoline park. An interesting point is the two large funnels on the front of the building are sometimes mistaken for lifts or part of the cooling system; in fact they are stairs.

Located directly behind the Xscape building is a large square structure that houses an indoor skydiving centre named 'iFLY' (previously known as 'Airkix' until September 2016[5]).

Xscape Yorkshire

Xscape Yorkshire (53°42′37″N 1°20′30″W / 53.7103°N 1.3418°W / 53.7103; -1.3418) is in Glasshoughton and opened in October 2003 with a footprint of approx 5,500 square metres (59,200 sq ft).

Xscape in Glasshoughton, Castleford

Xscape Yorkshire was a major development for what was before, an average sized town in West Yorkshire and is situated next to Junction 32, a popular outlet mall formerly known as Freeport.

The development contains a number of shops, restaurants, a church,[6] and entertainment facilities including a bowling alley, multi screen cinema, laser tag, crazy golf and amusements. The cinema is one of the few Cineworld cinemas in the UK that has D-Box motion seating. It utilises complex ventilation technology.[7] The site is served by Glasshoughton railway station on the Pontefract line (Leeds–Hull), opened by West Yorkshire Metro on 21 February 2005.[8]

Xscape Braehead Renfrew

Main article: Braehead

Xscape formerly had a centre in Renfrew. It was sold to Intu.

References

  1. ^ AJfocus – Volume 18 – Page 76 2004 A void behind the panels allows visual inspection from the warm side on an annual basis, and allows thermographic surveys and airtightness tests to be carried out. The ski box in the second-generation Xscape building, Xscape Castleford, which opened in September 2003, was slightly different. Only part of the ski slope was surrounded by spaces used for other purposes (cinema, fitness suite), with the remainder of the box projecting above the surrounding roofs. As at Milton Keynes, ...
  2. ^ [FaulknerBrowns Architects] Archived 30 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine – see Home, then Millenium
  3. ^ "Xscape Building, Milton Keynes - SkyscraperPage.com". Archived from the original on 26 May 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
  4. ^ Murrer, Sally (13 May 2021). "Tallest and shiniest building in Milton Keynes is topped out at 50 metres this week". Milton Keynes Citizen. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  5. ^ "From Airkix to iFLY". iFly Indoor Skydiving. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  6. ^ [1] Archived 2 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine XChurch – how to find us "Christchurch is located toward the back of Xscape Yorkshire, above Trespass."
  7. ^ "Xscape Ski Slope & Retail Development". Caswell Engineering Services. 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  8. ^ Lowson, Rob (11 December 2015). "Transport chiefs optimistic Apperley Bridge station will open on Sunday – despite safety certificate delay". Telegraph & Argus. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
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