Planning permission granted for shallow end development
Press release
WR-AP get go ahead for Tooting Bec Lido new changing and café facilities.
Growing architecture practice WR-AP has been granted planning permission by Wandsworth Council for an extensive refresh of the facilities at Tooting Bec Lido. The Lido is the largest freshwater swimming pool in the UK and the proposals include the replacement of the existing toilets and showers facilities and additional works to improve visitor experience and reduce the Lido’s environmental impact. WR-AP won an invited competition in the summer of 2022 organised by the South London Swimming Club members on behalf of of Wandsworth Council. The design team, led by WR-AP, includes Structural Engineers Studio Allen, mstep as MEP consultant and White & Lloyd as Quantity Surveyor. .
WR-AP director Max Rengifo said: ‘The Tooting Bec Lido project embodies everything we stand for as a practice, delivering sustainable community well-being for our communities. It has been a huge privilege for us to work with the South London Swimming Club team members and Wandsworth Council, to help shape the next chapter of this iconic and sustainable leisure facility in Southwest London. We are excited to contribute to the surge in the use of Lidos in recent years, as we believe they offer the opportunity to promote healthy living in times when leisure centres are struggling to keep functioning due to energy bills rocketing’.
WR-AP developed the proposals working closely with the amateur swimming club members following a thorough review and subsequent consultations with council officers, The council’s appointed Lido operator Places Leisure, club members, Tooting Common MAC, Friends of Tooting Common and the general public.
The project not only increases the number of toilets and showers but also enables more inclusive facilities for all, improves access control with a more welcoming approach, and addresses the current café’s economic viability by relocating it to front onto Tooting Common. The proposed site layout celebrates the history of the site by reinstating the symmetrical approach to the surrounding buildings and replicating the iconic changing cubicles to provide further gender-neutral facilities along the pool edge.
WRAP’s material palette was carefully chosen to respond to aesthetics, context, robustness and contact with skin, as most users wear swimming gear while at the Lido. Materials include a glazed green brick to the entrance building (housing the reception, café and WC facilities), chosen for its resilience and complimentary tones to the surrounding woodland. The central building (housing a flexible space and showers) meanwhile features a light-coloured render with a blue glazed brick plinth, responding to historical buildings on the site. The intention is for the existing café building to be refurbished and repurposed, with sensitive interventions such as heritage styles windows. Finally, a timber colonnade ties the buildings together – a motif seen elsewhere across the existing site – creating a cohesive vision overall.
The project features an innovative sustainable approach by creating a water heat pump by tapping into the filtering loop system of the 1M gallons of water swimming pool. The proposed system will contribute to reduce the use of energy to heat showers alongside the use of highly efficient solar panels. The project also includes grey water harvesting from showers to flush toilets, substantially reducing water consumption.
T further reduce the carbon footprint, cross laminated timber is proposed for the new build structures. Where required the timber will be clad in waterproof materials such as glazed bricks and tiles.
Fundraising will begin now the planning application is determined. It is the intention to deliver the works in two phases to ensure facilities are available on site for users at all times. Details on programme and procurement will be defined following the fundraising campaign and Council approvals.
Project data
Location – Tooting Bec Common
Local authority – Wandsworth Council
Type of project – Leisure / Community Buildings
Architect – WR-AP
Client – South London Swimming Club / Wandsworth Council
Structural Engineer – Studio Allen
MEP – mstep
QS – White & Lloyd
Energy & Sustainability – MSTEP
CGI’s –WR-AP
Start on site date – TBC
