Xscape, Milton Keynes
Indoor Ski Slope. Multiplex Cinema, Retail Mall and Leisure Facilities
 

Facts and Features
 

	The Xscape profile takes the form of a sliced cylinder cut at 9.6º to the horizontal. 240m long x 145m wide x 44m high. Its construction created the largest structure in Europe to envelope a real snow ski slope and is visible from over 8 miles away.
	The complex contains 2 ski slopes, 16 cinemas, 28 retail units in the shopping mall, a swimming pool, ten-pin bowling alley, climbing wall, gymnasium, restaurants, pubs and other leisure facilities.
	The structure comprises some 4200 tonnes of steelwork and is supported on 1250 bored piles.
	Faceted 22.5m span beams form the curved roof and a central spine provides areas of up to 40m x 30m uninterrupted space.
	The glazed gable tilts at 9.6º, with main supports spanning vertically between floors to a height of 44m above ground. Two full- height escape stairs extend to seven levels.
	The ski slope is set within a large coldstore box enclosure. The main slope is 165m long and 40m wide, with a slope of 15º reducing to 10º at the lower end, where a 20m wide and 112m long beginners’ slope runs alongside.