Badminton design-guide-dec-2011

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
December Revision 003 20 © Sport England 2011
Badminton
December Revision 003 © Sport England 2011
Design
Guidance Note
Creating sporting opportunities in every community

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
Foreword
Sport England believes that good facilities are
fundamental to developing sporting opportunities
for everyone, from the youngest beginner to the
international class athlete. The buildings, whether
large or small, can encourage civic pride and
assist the process of revitalising deprived
neighbourhoods. Facilities that are well designed,
built to last and well maintained are a pleasure to
use and give an ample return on the time and
money invested in their construction and day to
day use.
Good design needs to be based on a sound
understanding of such issues as the current trends
and practices within individual sports, the wider
leisure industry and the lessons to be learnt from
previously built schemes.
Good design needs to be embraced within the
earliest vision statement for a particular project
and enshrined in the initial briefing stage through
to the final detailed specifications and operational
arrangements.
Sport England Design Guidance Notes aim to
promote a greater general understanding of overall
design concepts, an appreciation of technical
issues and the critical factors that need to be
considered in reaching the appropriate solution for
a particular project. They also advise where further
information, advice and expertise may be found
and point to benchmark examples.
Increase awareness of
good design in sports
facilities.
Help key building
professions, clients,
user representatives
and other stakeholders
to follow best practice.
Encourage well
designed sports
facilities that meet the
needs of sports and are
a pleasure to use.
•
•
•
Sport England’s Design
Guidance Notes aim to:

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
Contents
1.0 Introduction 3
2.0 Court dimensions 4
3.0 Space between courts 5
4.0 Layout of courts 6
5.0 Height requirements 6
6.0 Flooring 6
7.0 Walls 7
8.0 Acoustics 8
9.0 Ceilings 9
10.0 Lighting 9
11.0 Heating and ventilation 13
12.0 Disability badminton 13
13.0 Spectator seating 15
14.0 Equipment 16
15.0 Other accommodation and facilities16
Appendix 1
- Further information and references 18

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
Badminton requires a “run-off” space around the
court, similar to other sports, and particular height
requirements above and around the court.
Badminton has the most exacting visual
requirements so that players are able to sight a fast
moving shuttlecock: the lighting requirements are
very specific; there should be no natural daylight,
and the colour of the walls must create a suitable
background for sighting the shuttle. The hall
should be warm with controlled ventilation and a
resilient floor to prevent injuries.
For this document the design criteria for Badminton
are divided into four level of play categories 1 - see
Table 1 below. The criteria are aspirational in that
an existing facility which does not meet them
might still be used for badminton coaching and
development. However, new build projects should
meet the appropriate specification, especially if
they are seeking funding from BADMINTON
England or Sport England.
The advice given in these notes will provide the
best conditions for playing the game. Professional
designers may consider that there are other ways
of achieving the same results, and alternatives
would be considered, but these must be approved
by BADMINTON England and Sport England
before commitment and construction.
1.0 Introduction
This Design Guidance has been written specifically
with Badminton as the primary consideration. The
modern game demands special playing conditions
that many halls could easily have provided at the
design stage, but which would now be more
expensive to achieve through alterations. Although
some technical terms are used throughout this
document they have been kept to the minimum so
that the professional designer and the club player
can both gain from this information.
Badminton is one of the most popular sports in the
U.K. and is frequently the most popular sport in
multi-sport halls. Therefore, if operators create the
best possible conditions for Badminton this will
have a significant positive impact on usage and
user satisfaction which, in turn, will boost business
and return on investment.
Sports halls are often built using the badminton
court as a standard to describe the size of the
building required e.g. a five court hall refers to a
hall the right size to accommodate five badminton
courts, but it may also accommodate other sports
such as netball, basketball, five-a-side football,
volleyball and cricket practice nets.
International
(Equivalent to CIBSE Class 1) Suitable for competitive play
and training up to National
level.
The standard expected for accreditation
as a High Performance Centre (HPC).
Premier
and training up to Junior
National and Senior County
level.
The standard of facility that a Premier
Club should have access to as the lead
club in a Performance Centre (PC).
Club
and training up to Junior
County level.
The minimum standard of facility for a
Premier Club and the standard of facility
that hub clubs / hub schools within a
Community Badminton Network (CBN)
should have access to.
Community
(Equivalent to CIBSE Class 3) Suitable for local league /
club and recreational play.
The recommended minimum standard
of facility for a Badminton Club.
Table 1 The four level of play categories 1
1 The four level of play categories have been developed by
the National Governing Bodies for the various sports and
Sport England to provide a consistent terminology for the
levels of play of all sports.

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
2.0 Court dimensions
Fig. 1 Badminton court dimensions showing the 6.1 x 13.4 m court and the minimum run-off areas
25302530420 42040 4040 40 40
3880388019801980720720404040404040
6100
134002000min
1500 min1500 min
2000min
17400
9100
Varies
Varies
Right service
court
Short service line
Line of net (no marking on floor)
Net height 1550 above floor
Short service line
Long service line for doubles
Long service line for singles
and also back boundary line
and also long service line for singles
Back boundary line
Extent of minimum run off area
See Table 2 for
run-off distances
from back line to
dividing curtain
(1500 / 2000
mm)
Right Service Court
See Table 2 for
run-off distances
from doubles
sideline to
dividing curtain
(1200 / 1300 /
1500 mm)
Dividing curtain
Dividingcurtain
(to outside of line markings)
(tooutsideoflinemarkings)
min
min
Left service
court
Left service
court
Post
Post
Centreline
Sidelinefordoubles
Sidelinefordoubles
Sidelineforsingles
Sidelineforsingles
Centreline
Right service
court
See Table 2 for
run-off distances
from doubles
sideline to
sideline or wall
(1500 / 2000 mm)
40530
40950
40
Note: All dimensions are in millimetres

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
Fig. 2 Three dimensional representation of the playing
area, consisting of the Badminton court and the required
clear height zone above it. Also illustrated is the layout
of chairs for match officials.
Table 2 Minimum spaces around courts
3.0 Space between courts
Table 2 shows the minimum run off requirements
around a court at different levels of play. The
same minimum space should still be maintained
between all courts whatever the size of the hall.
The distances from court lines to division curtains
must be allowed on both sides of the curtain if
there are Badminton courts on both sides.
Where appropriate, additional space should be
allowed for spectators and players to sit, for
circulation, and for match officials’ seats and
judges’ tables, especially where the facility is to be
used for tournaments.
If the hall dimensions are larger than necessary,
then the spaces around courts can be greater.
Level of play category
Run off (R/O) requirements (mm)
side line to side
line and side line
to wall
side line to
division curtain
back line to wall back line to
division curtain
(see Section 4.0)
International 2000 1500 2000 2000
Premier 1500 1300 2000 2000
Club 1500 1300 2000 1500
Community 1500 1200 2000 1500
Spaces larger than the minimum recommended
safety run-off dimensions are generally acceptable.
However, if the hall dimensions are less than
standard, then the spaces between courts and
between courts and walls will be less than the
minimum recommended to provide a safe run-off.
In these circumstances the operator should
undertake a risk assessment and must provide
alternative control measures to ensure safety.
Where this is not practicable, it may be necessary
to reduce the proposed number of courts, or it
indicates that the hall may not be suitable for
playing Badminton. Courts with less than the
recommended minimum space around them are
not approved by BADMINTON England.
Run off areas
7.6 m
0.75 m 0.75 m
2.00
m
2.00
m
7.5-9.0m
(R/O)
R/O
R/O
17.4
m
No obstructions within the critical volume
indicated (extending 0.75 / 2.00 m clear
beyond court line markings) apart from
the luminaires that can be located
centrally above the run offs
between courts (with their centre
lines no closer than 750mm
from the side line of the court
as shown in Fig 5).
Service
Judge’s chair
1.0 m back
from post
See Table 2 below for
minimum dimensions
for run off areas / court
surround
Umpire’s chair
1.0 m back
from post
Line Judge’s
chairs outside
run off area
Adjacent court

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
4.0 Layout of Courts
The court must be marked out in easily
distinguishable 40 mm wide lines. They may be
applied by paint or inlaid and should be matt white
in colour. In exceptional circumstances, where it is
not possible for these lines to be white, yellow may
be an acceptable alternative. Where a
multi-purpose hall is accredited / funded by
BADMINTON England, the badminton lines should
be dominant.
Where the courts are laid out “end to end” there
must be a curtain between the ends of the courts
and it is essential that the minimum run-off
dimension is maintained on both sides of the
curtain (see Table 2). In this configuration, to avoid
any distractions caused by movement and lights
from the other courts, the curtain between the
courts should preferably be of solid material to full
height, rather than standard sports hall dividing
nets.
5.0 Height Requirements
Level of play category
Minimum height
requirement (m)
International 9.0
Premier 9.0
Club 7.5
Community 6.7
Table 3 Minimum height requirements for a Badminton
court and 0.75 / 2.0 m perimeter zone
The heights indicated above are the minimum clear
heights over the critical volume of the court and
below any obstructions such as beams, basketball
backboards, cricket net rails and lights (see Fig. 2).
6.1m is the absolute minimum height for recreational
badminton such as in a village community hall.
A clear height of 7.5 m will be accepted for premier
level activities using existing facilities, but 9.0 m is
preferred.
A minimum of 12.0 m clear height is required for
Badminton World Federation (BWF) level 1
tournaments; a minimum height of 9.0m is required
for other international events, but 12.0 m is
preferred.
6.0 Flooring
The preferred flooring for playing badminton is a
sprung floor covered with a vinyl impact absorbent
covering. This creates an area-elastic floor covered
with a point-elastic top layer; and is referred to as
a floor with combined-elastic properties.
The other type of floor commonly used and
accepted by BADMINTON England is a sprung
floor covered with wooden strip flooring to give
area-elastic properties. The top surface should be
laid as parallel strips rather than herringbone or
other patterns which can be distracting to players.
Some facilities for multi-sports use, particularly on
school sites, are fitted with a seamless wet-poured
polyurethane flooring system. This would normally
create a point-elastic floor but, if a synthetic
area-stiffening component is introduced to create
a mixed-elastic floor, this may be acceptable for
Badminton.
The standards and testing methods for sports
floors are covered by British/European Standard
BS EN 14904:2006: Surfaces for Sports Areas -
Indoor Surfaces for Multi-Sport Use. See also
Sport England Design Guidance Note ‘Floors for
Indoor Sports’.
The finish to the flooring should be matt to avoid
any glare. Preferred colours are green, blue or
natural timber with a transparent seal.
Where a facility does not offer the right flooring
specification and layout for Badminton, a portable
court mat may be placed over a sprung surface to
provide the right playing conditions. This is
commonly done for major one-off competitions.
However, the size and weight of these mats can
Portable court mat laid on top of a sprung floor

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
Description
Category C4 Combined Elastic System, category A4 Area Elastic System,
or category M4 mixed elastic system as defined by BS EN14904:2006
“Surfaces For Sports Areas - Indoor Surfaces For Multi-Sports Use”
Characteristic Description Test/Reference Badminton Standard
Friction EN13036 - 4 80 - 100
Shock Absorption EN14808 55 % - 75 %
Vertical Deformation EN14809 > 2.3 mm < 5 mm
Resistance to Rolling Load EN 1569 0.5 mm over 0.3 m
Resistance to Wear EN ISO 5470 -1 ≤ 1000 mg
Specular Gloss EN ISO 2813 ≤ 30 %
Specular Reflectance EN ISO 7724 20 % - 40 %
Resistance to Indentation EN 1516 ≤ 0.5 mm
Resistance to Impact EN1517 ≤ 0.5 mm
Degree of Evenness EN 13036 - 7
±0.6 mm over 0.3 m and ±5 mm
over 3 m
Table 4 Performance specification for Badminton flooring
make laying, lifting and storing them a problem. It
is also important to consider the interaction
between the existing and portable floors to ensure
that the combination is stable and meets the same
performance standards as a properly specified
permanent floor would deliver.
In older existing halls solid floors are often used i.e.
concrete, screed or composition flooring. This is
NOT acceptable for the playing of Badminton and
injuries can be caused with this type of floor. This
type of floor can be improved by covering the
existing hard floor with laminated timber planks on
rubber strips, or with a foam-backed cushioned
sheet material. Halls modified in this manner would
be an improvement but would not be considered
by BADMINTON England for accreditation or for
funding unless they comply with BS EN 14904.
See section on rolling resistance and wheelchair
use on page 13.
7.0 Walls
A background against which a fast moving shuttle
can be seen easily is critically important for the
successful playing of the game.
The ideal badminton hall has four plain walls with no
windows or roof lights. There should be no distracting
attachments, particularly brightly coloured items.
There should be no ledges or other projections likely
to trap shuttles. The surface texture, colour and
reflectance value must be consistent and
uninterrupted over the full height of the hall. In the
case of a refurbishment where it is not practical to
remove glazing, it must be covered by blinds or
shutters to exclude natural light completely.
Natural light excluded by covering windows with
shutters painted to match walls

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
8.0 Acoustics
The internal acoustics of a hall can have a
significant impact on its suitability for Badminton,
and particularly for coaching the sport. Badminton
does not require the walls to be as robust as some
other sports necessitate. However, multi-sport
halls need hard surfaces, to withstand impact
damage, and these tend to have poor sound
absorbency properties, which results in sound
reverberating within the hall. This can lead to poor
speech intelligibility and high background noise
levels, making it difficult for coaches to manage
and control their players.
Acoustic blocks used in the wall construction
2 See BS 8493:2008 + A1: 2010 for test method
for light reflectance value (LRV)
Colour description and code *
Colours preferred by
Badminton England, with a
30-50% light reflectance
value
Examples of colours, with a reflectance
value of around 50%, that still allow a
reasonable contrast to see the
shuttlecock and also help to achieve a
general level of luminance in a multi-sport
hall. See Sport England Design Guidance
Note ‘Sport Halls: Design and Layouts’
Blue 86 BG 43/321 l
Green 30 GG 40/290 l
Blue green
53 GG 50/360 l
87 GG 51/291 l
10 GG 48/366 l
Notes:
* ICI colour code (Dulux) where the central number represents the surface reflectance. i.e. 86 BG
43/321 is a colour with a 43 % light reflectance value (LRV)
Table 5 Recommended background wall colours
Walls should be finished in medium to dark shades
and have a matt surface. This applies just as much
to sidewalls as to the end walls, since many shots
are played looking towards the side of the court.
Colours with a reflectance value of 30-50 % 2 have
been found to give the best playing conditions, but
not all colours in this range work equally well.
Green (Dulux Colour dimensions code 30 GG
40/290) and blue (86 BG 43/321) have been found
to provide the best background but, for instance,
shuttlecocks are harder to see against a grey
background. Any doors, blinds or shutters should
be finished in the same colour as the walls. Walls
can be built of many different types of material, but
it should be borne in mind that acoustics play an
important part in the enjoyment of the hall. See
Section 8.0 Acoustics.
Where curtains are used to divide a hall, they should
be the same colour as the walls, with a sight screen
of solid material at least 2.0 m high, topped with
coloured netting of maximum mesh size 50 mm.
Where curtains are positioned at the ends of the
courts, such as in a hall that has the courts laid out
‘end to end’, the solid material should be at least 6.0
m high. Alternatively, electrically operated sports hall
divider screens may be used to provide a visual and
acoustic barrier, but these too must be coloured to
match the walls.

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
Luminaire positions
Speeds of over 200 mph
are regularly recorded in
top matches.
The shuttle may also be hit very high and over
some distance, which demands a degree of
uplighting to pick up the shuttle in flight. Preferred
lighting conditions are obtained when the
luminaires are suspended from the ceiling,
however, luminaires must not be directly positioned
over the court. The game involves the players
looking upwards to follow the flight of the shuttle
and they must be able to do so without being
troubled by glare or having their attention
distracted by bright light sources. Doors and
windows to other lit areas are also distracting, and
arrangements should be made for such light
sources to be screened or switched off.
The background and the lighting should be
considered as an entity, as both can alter the
playing conditions. With regard to the ceiling, the
reflectance value may be higher if the luminaires
are suspended further from the ceiling -
alternatively if the luminaires are positioned nearer
to the ceiling then the ceiling fabric must be darker,
with a lower reflectance value.
For Badminton halls, the overall construction
should be designed to provide sound absorption
qualities with a reverberation time of 1.5 - 2.0
seconds at mid-frequency. This can be achieved
by integrating suitably robust sound absorbent
materials into the ceiling and/or upper wall levels
e.g. acoustic blocks or acoustic wall panels.
However, it is important for Badminton that there
are no visual distractions, so any acoustic materials
introduced must blend with the surrounding walls
in terms of texture and colour.
The level of sound insulation in the building should
be sufficient to prevent players being distracted
by external noise. A standard noise rating of 40NR
would normally be specified. Heating and
ventilation equipment should be as quiet as
possible in operation.
9.0 Ceilings
The ceilings in sports halls are often the underlining
to the roof, which is usually of a sandwich
construction. The underlining can be of an acoustic
material and, as with the walls, this is very
important to the environment of the hall. In many
cases a self-finished acoustic lining with a light
colour is ideal for the ceiling and complies with the
required reflectance values of 70–90 %.
10.0 Lighting
Lighting is one of the most important requirements
in the design of a hall where badminton is to be
played. It is essential to consider lighting early in
the design stage so that the lighting layout, lamp
type and background colours can be co-ordinated
with other aspects of the design. (ref. Sport
England’s forthcoming Design Guidance Note
‘Artificial Sports Lighting’).
The lighting design in a badminton hall must take
into consideration the requirements for provision of:
• A safe environment for players
• Effective illumination of the shuttlecock and
court markings to aid players and to assist
match officials in the execution of their duties
• Suitable and sufficient lighting for spectators.
When designing the lighting for badminton halls it
is important to appreciate how the game is played.
The shuttle can move at very fast speeds over the
net, requiring maximum light reflecting from the
white feathers of the shuttle.
The shuttle can best be seen when illuminated in
this way against a dark background, therefore the
rear of the court does not need to be lit to such a
high level as the centre.

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
Elevation
Separate
wind down
light fittings
for 3 no.
central
locations
along each
beam
Fixed light
fittings at ends
of each beam
switched off
for Badminton
play
5 m
Cleardimension
7.5 /
9.0 m
min
No luminaires in or above
7.6 m wide zone *
Fig 4 Badminton England alternative lighting setup for
multi-sport halls, with central drop-down lighting units
and with the end fixed-lights switched off
*Luminaires are permitted above runoffs with their centre
lines no closer than 750 mm from the side line of the court
(see Fig 5).
Lights set in multi-sport state (five luminaires at ceiling
height)
and lights set in Badminton state (three luminaires only
& lowered to 5 m)
9.0 m
min
No luminaires in or above
7.6 m wide zone *
5 m
3 m
max
3 m
max
1 m
min
3 luminaires on each
side of court
Cleardimension
Elevation
Fig 3 Badminton England preferred lighting setup for a
premier / international standard facility
The walls need to have
a reflectance value of
30 - 50% and the
ceilings 70 - 90%.
The luminaires should ideally be set at 5.0 m from
the floor and centred over the shared run offs
between the courts. Luminaires should be
concentrated adjacent to the middle third of the
court; one positioned level with the net and the
others positioned three metres back in both
directions, level with the midcourt area as the
photo on page 9. This layout has proven to give
the best playing conditions and avoids situations
where a player may be dazzled.
The total elimination of glare in sport is seldom
achieved due to the ever-changing directions of
view of participants. Nevertheless, measures
should be taken in an attempt to minimise glare
that may affect the visual performance of
participants. It is important that an appropriate
type of luminaire is selected that allows a degree
of shielding and / or diffusion so that players are
not looking into direct light. Good lighting
conditions have been obtained by using high
frequency compact fluorescent luminaires.
If a curtain is used between the courts then lighting
may be required on both sides of the curtain to
maintain the same level of light.
See page 5 for critical
volume of play

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
Maintained illuminance levels with
luminaires at 5 metres above floor level
Average illuminance 500 lux
Minimum illuminance 300 lux
Maximum illuminance 600 lux
Note:
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) recommends
1000 lux for international events. Television companies
will advise on their lighting requirements.
Table 5 Illuminance levels
BADMINTON England recognises that their
recommendations for lighting are not totally in
accordance with BS EN 12193:2007. Nevertheless,
experience gained over many years supports the
recommendation that lighting for Badminton
should ideally be in accordance with the
illuminance levels shown in Fig 5. This diagram
shows there is not a uniformity of lighting across
the court, but rather a higher level of lighting
across the full width of the centre area of the court.
In a multi-use hall where it is not practical for the
lights to be installed permanently at a height of 5
m, the same results can be created if the lights
adjacent to the middle third of the court are
lowered on a temporary basis to 5 m on a rise and
fall gantry system (allowing sufficient cable for
maintenance) with the remaining lights switched
off as shown in Fig 4.
If this is not possible, then the three central
luminaires suspended on either side of the courts
should be separately wired so that they can be left
on for play, whilst the luminaires at the rear of the
courts are switched off to create a darker
background and an illumination pattern similar to
that shown in Fig 5.
For some visually impaired or partially sighted
badminton players increased illumination may
improve their performance and enjoyment, but for
others, this would be detrimental to their
enjoyment. A lighting system that enables lux
levels to be adjusted up and down may therefore
benefit such players.
Lighting Maintenance
A programme of cyclic maintenance should be
operated whereby: -
• Luminaires are cleaned at a frequency in
keeping with the activities performed within
the hall
• Lamps are changed in accordance with
manufacturers’ recommendations
• Records are kept of maintenance performed
• Individually failed lamps are replaced as a
matter of urgency, since an inoperative
luminaire will present a ‘dark patch’ when
players are looking upwards. This will make it
difficult to follow the trajectory and velocity of
the shuttle.

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
Fig. 5 Illuminance plot (Lux levels measured at ground level) based on 3 suspended light sources at a height of 5 metres
above the playing surface. It should be noted that the fall off of the illumination at the back of the court is acceptable and
this also helps to darken the back wall and give a good contrast for viewing the white shuttlecock.
Shaded area represents extent of court
and minimum run off
3000max
015501550310031004650465062006200
Illuminancemeasurementdistances(mm)fromcentreofcourt
3000max
305
415
500
545
560
545
500
415
305
335
445
530
585
595
585
530
445
335
345
445
535
580
590
580
535
445
345
335
445
530
585
595
585
530
445
335
305
500
545
560
545
500
415
305
Centre line of
luminaire located
min 750 mm from
doubles side line
markings*
750 min750 min
2015020154025 4025
Illuminance measurement distances (mm) from centre of court
415
Note: All dimensions are in millimetres
* Luminaires are permitted above runoffs with their centre lines no closer than 750 mm from the side line of the court.

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
High-level radiant heaters on walls and extract fans at
ends of the building
11.0 Heating and ventilation
Most sports hall heating and ventilation systems
will be designed to deliver a temperature range of
12 - 20oC. The most comfortable temperature for
playing Badminton is around 16oC. Temperatures
as low as 12oC may be acceptable, particularly for
performance play and it is recognised that, without
air cooling, temperatures may exceed 20oC during
periods of hot weather but, wherever possible,
heat loss/solar gain should be minimised through
insulation.
It is recommended that no less than 1.5 air changes
per hour be made. Any heating or ventilating system
that moves the air can deflect the shuttlecock;
therefore it is important that heating and ventilation
systems are designed taking this into account. The
location and protection of all air input and extraction
grilles or openings must be carefully considered,
particularly in relation to the flight path of the
shuttlecock. It is better if ventilation systems are
designed to operate around the perimeter of the
hall, to limit air movement over the court. The air
velocities within the playing area should not exceed
0.1 m/s (metres per second).
Where air velocity cannot reasonably be limited to
0.1 m/s, the ventilation system should be fitted with
an override switch or ‘Badminton Button’ in an
accessible location, to disable the system when the
hall is used for Badminton.
The heating system most commonly used in halls
where badminton is played is high-level radiant
panels or tubes fitted to the walls or ceiling, in
conjunction with a controlled ventilation system.
Traditional low pressure hot water radiator
systems, or under floor heating, could be used if
appropriate to the type of flooring. Heating by
warm air is not recommended as it is difficult to
control the air movement when the heating is
operating. Radiant heaters should be fitted with
fine mesh guards to prevent shuttlecock damage.
12.0 Disability badminton
The design of any new sports facility should take
account of the needs of disabled people. This is
referred to as ‘inclusive design’. Part M of the
Building Regulations and BS 8300 set out basic
access standards for buildings, but they do not
cover all of the issues which are important in the
design of inclusive sports facilities. Aspects of
design which have particular relevance to disabled
people include layout and signage, the use of
colour, light levels and control of glare, changes in
level, gradients and surface finishes 3.
Disability badminton encompasses various forms
of the sports where the rules of the parent game are
modified to suit the particular disabilities of the
people playing 4. For example, the area in front of
the short service line can be regarded as out of
bounds for wheelchair players and some lower limb
amputee singles players might play singles on half
a standard badminton court, using the centre line
and the doubles sideline as their sidelines.
Wheelchair players also play with the net lowered
by 150 mm. Most court surfaces are suitable, but
4 The Parabadminton World Federation have a classification
system. http://www.parabadminton.org/
3 See Sport England Design Guidance Note ‘Accessible
Sports Facilities’ for further details and free downloads of
CAD layouts from the Sport England website.

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
All doorways, including emergency exits must
have a minimum of 0.875 m clear width, or 1.2 m
where they will be used by sports chairs. Automatic
doors should be used wherever possible, but avoid
fully glazed frameless entrance doors as these are
less distinguishable from their surroundings.
Ideally, automatic doors should have a sliding
arrangement as an automatic swinging door can
be a hazard. Doors that need to swing out into
main corridors should be ‘protected’ by being set
into a recess. Doors in corridors must have viewing
panels. Where double doors of unequal width are
used, the wider doors should all be on the same
side of the corridor and meet the minimum clear
width requirement above.
Internal circulation routes should be designed to
minimise the number of doors and the distances
that users have to travel. Corridors should be free
from obstructions, with radiators, hose reels etc.
set into recesses to maintain corridor width.
Splayed or radius corners to walls at changes in
direction or junctions will benefit wheelchair users
and visually impaired people.
A 1.5 m turning circle should be maintained
throughout the facility and the unobstructed
corridor width should also be a minimum of 1.5 m.
However, where the width is less than 1.8 m, it
should have passing places at least 1.8 m long and
1.8 m wide to allow wheelchair users to pass each
other. These passing places should be no more
than 5.0 m apart. If large numbers of wheelchair
users are expected, the corridor width should be
increased to at least 2.0 m to allow wheelchair
users to pass each other freely along main routes.
softer surfaces are generally unpopular with players
using sports chairs because of the higher rolling
resistance - a wooden floor is preferred. The sports
floor must be able to withstand marks left by
wheelchairs and other mobility aids so that users
are not restricted by protective management
regimes.
Sports chairs used for badminton vary in width
depending on the seat width required for the
individual and on the degree of wheel camber
required for the level of play. They can be up to 1.2
m wide and are generally 0.8 m long. Therefore, a
1.5 m minimum clear width access is
recommended around the court to allow players
to change ends easily. The net posts on adjacent
courts must not be too close together for sports
chair users to pass between them.
The size of sports wheelchairs has implications for
the whole sports facility and the establishment of
a ‘sports chair zone’ is recommended, from the car
parking area to the entrance and into the sports
area where badminton will be played. It should
have adequate space to allow individual players or
groups to easily and safely bring their sports chairs
into the building, move around and transfer from
their day chairs, as required and should include a
convenient wheelchair storage area. See Sport
England Design Guidance Note ‘Accessible Sports
Facilities’ for the critical dimensions of corridors,
lifts and doorways.
The extent of this zone needs to be defined and
agreed with key stakeholders. It is likely that in most
cases the ‘sports chair zone’ will not include the
changing and toilet provision. However, the extent
of access for the larger sports chairs to individual
or team changing and toilet facilities needs to be
decided at the briefing stage for the project.
Some athletes find sitting in
a sports chair for long
periods uncomfortable and
often only use the chairs
during the sporting activity.
It is therefore necessary to
make provision for the
secure storage of chairs
while they are not in use.
See Sport England’s
‘Accessible Sports Facilities’
Design Guidance Note.

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
Hall / spectator gallery
Informal spectator gallery screened using tinted glazing
at an angle to minimise distraction and reflection
In ‘sports chair zones’, the unobstructed width of
a corridor should preferably be 2.5 m throughout,
to allow users in large sports chairs to pass each
other, or 2.0 m with the incorporation of passing
places at least 2.5 m long and 2.5 m wide. Again,
these passing places should be no more than 5.0
m apart.
Avoid changes in level whenever possible.
However, where this is not practical, all ramps
must have a minimum width of 1.5 m (2.5 m in the
‘sports chair zone’) with a gradient of less than 1
in 20 and level landings / rest points 1.5 m long
every 0.5 m rise. The maximum rise of any series
of ramps should be 2.0 m. Ramps should be
surfaced with slip-resistant materials.
It is also necessary to ensure that lifts are large
enough to accommodate wheelchairs and sports
wheelchairs if they are within the ‘sports chair
zone’. Minimum depth 1.4 m, minimum width 1.1
m (2.0 m where sports chairs will be used) and
minimum door opening 0.9 m (1.2 m where sports
chairs will be used).
13.0 Spectator seating
For major tournaments, some form of seated
viewing area for spectators, waiting players and
team officials is essential. Seats may also be
required in the stands for sponsors and other VIPs,
referees and other tournament officials, and radio
and television commentators. Where possible
competition players should have a separately
marked area for seating when watching matches.
Teams and officials should have a different access
point to spectators.
interference is caused by reflection of lights or
activity on the courts. One source of such guidance
is the Glass & Glazing Federation - see Appendix
1 for contact details.
Spectator seating areas should be designed to be
accessible to everyone. Entrances should provide
a clear opening of 1.0 m, with a minimum clear
width of 0.65 m between rows of seats. At least six
designated wheelchair spaces should be provided,
or 1 % of the spectator capacity, whichever is the
greater. Wheelchair spaces should be a minimum
0.9 x 1.4 m each. Handrails should be provided to
stepped access routes to assist ambulant disabled
people. The design of informal viewing areas
should also consider the needs of all users. For
example viewing from a balcony or circulation
space should have areas of suitable height to allow
wheelchair users adequate sight lines.
Courtside seating for spectators and players
Very careful thought should be given to the design
of spectator galleries, since they can sometimes
create difficulties and distractions when viewed
from the court. These areas need to be of similar
colour to the court walls and the lighting should be
subdued and carefully hidden when viewed from
the court. Windows and doors at the rear of the
spectator galleries should be curtained or
designed so that no light can be seen from the
court. If the spectator areas are glazed then
specialist advice should be obtained, so that no

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
Post correctly positioned (court to the left of the post)
Space for air ducts and
basket ball fittings.
Basketball net in
lowered postition
ost
ments
ofitting
ckening
ble.
Cricket net bags above
5-a-side line
Thickening of
floor slab at
socket locations
1200
Heating source away
from netting
Avoid
services in
floor
Badminton Post
Socket
Fig 6: Typical section through sports floor construction
14.0 Equipment
Badminton posts must be 1.55 m in height from
the surface of the court and must remain vertical
when the net is strained. The posts are placed on
the doubles side lines irrespective of whether a
singles or doubles match is being played, with the
inner edge of the post in line with the inner edge of
the side line.
New posts should comply with BS EN 1509:2008
which stipulates that no part of the posts or their
supports should extend into the court.
BADMINTON England recommends socketed
posts as the most practical means of complying
with this stipulation, since this avoids the need for
the very heavy counterbalance weights necessary
to comply with the new standards. Socketed
badminton posts require sockets to be set into the
sub-floor - see diagram below.
Typically the holes required are 63 - 64 mm
diameter and 290 mm deep. Standard floor slabs
are generally not of sufficient depth to
accommodate a hole of this size so special
provision for thickening of the structural slab is
likely to be required. Pipe work and under-floor
heating must be taken into account when
positioning the sockets and the depth of the damp
proof membrane needs to be considered too.
The net must be made of fine cord of dark colour
and even thickness, with a mesh of not less than
15 mm and not more than 20 mm. The net must
be 0.76 m in depth and at least 6.10 m wide. The
top of the net must be edged with a 75 mm white
tape doubled over a cord or cable running through
the tape and stretched firmly, flush with the top of
the posts.
The top of the net must be 1.524 m from the
surface of the court at its centre and 1.55 m from
the surface of the court over the side lines for
doubles. There must be no gaps between the ends
of the net and the posts. If necessary, the full depth
of the net at the ends should be tied to the posts.
For top tournaments, umpire’s chairs should be
provided. These must be stable and safe for the
umpire to ascend and descend. They should be
equipped with a hinged writing platform on which
the umpire can rest the score sheet. The seat
should be at the same height as the net i.e. 1.55 m
and should be comfortable in terms of size and
material used for construction. When in use, the
chair should be centred along the extension of the
net approximately one metre from the net (see
Figure 2).
15.0 Other accommodation and facilities
Badminton does not require large storage facilities
for equipment in dedicated badminton centres as
the posts and nets are permanently positioned in
the floor of the hall. The only other items of
equipment may be shuttles and umpires chairs.
However, in multi-use halls, the general minimum
storage provision for all sports activities must be
equivalent to 12.5 % of the hall floor and
Badminton will require sufficient room for
wheel-away / slot-in posts, nets and shuttles. If
court mats are used, then substantial storage
space will be required, since these can be 7.0 m
long and 0.5 m in diameter when rolled, and may
weigh up to 350 kg. Specialist trolleys are
recommended for manoeuvring these mats.
Other facilities required are as set out in Table 6 on
page 17:

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
Level of Play Category 5 International Premier Club Community
Equivalent Badminton England
Category
Major
Competition
High
Performance
Centres
Premier
Club in a
Performance
Centre
Premier
Club in a
Community
Badminton
Network
Local
League or
Recreational
Club
Changing rooms with showers for both
males and females 6 l l l l
Basic catering e.g. vending l l l
Space for spectators, parents, players
etc. to sit and wait /socialise
l l l
On site first aid l l
Provision for hire of playing equipment l l l
Car parking 7
l l l l l
First aid room l
Meeting / seminar room for 20 to 30
people
l l l
Access to weights / Cardiovascular
training equipment
l l
Area for waiting / resting players l l l
Physio / medical room l l
Office to accommodate two people
with telephone
l l
Restaurant l l
Residential accommodation for a
minimum of 20 people
l l
Space for a minimum of 150 spectators
either in the hall or in a gallery
l
A good quality PA system covering all
areas
l
Additional rooms for various purposes
according to level of competition
l
Requirements
6 Refer to Sport England Design Guidance Note ‘Sports Halls – Design and Layouts’.
7 Refer to Sport England Design Guidance Note ‘Car Parking & Landscape Design’.
5 See Table 1 for definitions.
Table 6 Typical support accommodation

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
Appendix 1: Further information and
references
Sport England Design Guidance Notes
• Accessible Sports Facilities
• Artificial Sports Lighting
• Car Parking & Landscape Design
• Sports Halls – Design and Layouts
These are all free-to-download from the Sport
England website.
The National Badminton Facilities Strategy
Further information may be obtained from:
BADMINTON England, Development
Department, National Badminton Centre,
Bradwell Road, Milton Keynes, MK8 9LA
Tel: 01908 268400
Fax: 01908 268412
Email: enquiries@badmintonengland.co.uk
Website: www.badmintonengland.co.uk
The Laws of Badminton
The Laws of Badminton. As amended and
adopted by the Badminton World Federation
(BWF)
Website:http://www.bwfbadminton.org/file_
download.aspx?id=37390
BS EN 14904:2006
Surfaces for Sports Areas - Indoor Surfaces
for Multi-Sport use - Specification
BS EN 1509:2008
Playing Field Equipment - Badminton
Equipment - Functional and Safety
Requirements, Test Methods
BS EN 12193:2007
Light and lighting. Sports lighting.
These documents available to purchase from
British Standards Publications
Website: http://shop.bsigroup.com/en/ProductDet
ail/?pid=000000000030164245
Glass & Glazing Federation
54 Ayres Street, London SE1 1EU
Tel: 020 7939 9100
E-mail: info@ggf.org.uk
Website: http://www.ggf.org.uk/
CERAM
(Testing specialists for the Light Reflectance Values (LRV) of
back ground surfaces)
Queens Road, Penkhull, Stoke-on-Trent,
Staffordshire ST4 7LQ
E-mail: enquiries@ceram.com
Website: http://www.ceram.com/contact-us/

Badminton Design
Guidance Note
Alternative Languages and Formats:
This document can be provided in alternative languages, or alternative
formats such as large print, Braille, tape and on disk upon request.
Call the Sport England switchboard on 08458 508 508 for more details.
This Document Prepared By:
Sport England, Robin Wilson Consulting & S&P Architects
Acknowledgements:
Information prepared by:
Jonathan Lee Facilities Investment Manager, BADMINTON England, Development Department,
National Badminton Centre, Bradwell Road, Milton Keynes MK8 9LA.
Tel: +44 (0)1908-268400
Email: jonathanlee@badmintonengland.co.uk
Steering Group:
John Bristow BADMINTON England Facilities Consultant
Peter Emptage Emptage Architects
Colin Kent RIBA
Tony Atherton Sport England Technical Team Lead
Robin Wilson Robin Wilson Consulting
Photography by:
Badmintonphoto
Bluegreen Design Consultants
Alan Spinks Action Photography
User Guide:
Before using this design guidance note for any specific projects all users should refer to the User Guide to
understand when and how to use the guidance as well as understanding the limitations of use.
© Sport England and Badminton England, December 2011
Version No:
Reason:
Approved By:
Approval Date:
Review Date:
Reviewer
1
Up-date
The Board
15/12/10
15/12/11
The Board
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY POLICY
1. Introduction
1.1 This policy reflects the provisions of the new Equality Act 2010 which became law on
1st
October 2010. The Act harmonises, simplifies and replaces previous equalities
legislation such as Race Relations Act 1976, Disability Discrimination Act 1995 etc,
into one Act
1.2 The Act covers the same groups that were protected by previous equality legislation,
extends some protections to characteristics that were not previously covered, and
Issue Tracker
003 – Complete revision: December 2011
002 – Various amendments: March 2006
001 – Initial publication: September 2005
Sport England
3rd Floor Victoria House
Bloomsbury Square
London
WC1B 4SE
Tel : +44 (0)8458 508 508
Click here for ‘User Guide’
Click here for current ‘Design and Cost Guidance’
www.sportengland.org/facilities__planning/design_and_cost_guidance/user_guide.aspx
http://www.sportengland.org/facilities__planning/design_and_cost_guidance.aspx
ISBN 978-1-86078-190-2
Further Information:
To find out more about Sport England and to get the latest news and information about our various
initiatives and programmes, please go to www.sportengland.org

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