42 PROJECT REPORT: SPORTS & LEISURE FACILITIES
SWIM & SUPPER
Mixed-use Thames Lido combines a range of functions including swimming, gastronomic spaces and spa treatment areas
demonstrated clearly in this heritage project’s careful execution and delivery of a practical and meticulously finished result.
Getting started Sam Kendon, partner at Marshall & Kendon Architects, takes up the story of how the project began: “In 2008, we completed a restoration of Clifton Lido. With a similar story to Reading, it was an 1850s lido that had been derelict for some time.”
Although Marshall & Kendon learned a lot from Clifton, Kendon says Thames Lido is a “very different” building. “This is much bigger, and is in a completely different situation; in a park next to the river, whereas the Bristol one was buried deep in a dense part of the city.”
“There were a lot of things that were different, but we had about six years of experience from Clifton, which showed us what was working well, and what was not working so well.”
The building
Built as a women-only pool in 1902, the building had substantial brick walls on all sides shielding swimmers from onlookers.
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While the project largely retains the architectural heritage benefit of these walls, gaps have been introduced at intervals, affording intermittent glimpses of the river to pool users. “It’s not a building that flaunts itself to the outside however,” says Kendon. “It’s only really when you get quite close that you can peep in.” Formerly sitting in an open space, the 25 metre heated pool has been enclosed with glass on all sides except for the roof. This provides new internal spaces, with the original walls on the perimeter side. These include a spa, sauna as well as a high quality restaurant and bar, with views into the pool from much of the building. “It’s basically a rectangular doughnut
shape, with the pool in the middle and a monopitch roof running all the way round on four sides,” explains Kendon. On the south side, which faces King’s Meadow, the original octagonal entrance pavilion is retained. At some point in the intervening years between 1902 and today, “somebody knocked a great big door in the side.” So, as was done at Clifton, two entrances were constructed, one for people using the pool and spa, and one for the restaurant and bar. These sections are both connected, but
ADF JULY 2018
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