SWIMMING IN THE CITY

by Maisie Spencer

In the UK we have lost our connection with our waterways; my building seeks to change this, and allow the River Lea to be reclaimed by its local communities. The scheme is a series of buildings which facilitate the use of a natural swimming pool. Entering through a ramped walkway into a repurposed Victorian engine house, the architecture creates unspecified moments allowing the visitor to decide its use. It is designed to give the user complete autonomy and freedom. The building is penetrated by the water, blurring the boundaries between urban London and wild landscape. A cafe and changing rooms provide warmth and protection from the elements but most of the spaces are exposed, acting as shelter rather than enclosure. The user journeys through these spaces, which culminate in the water, allowing them to rediscover the River Lea and the benefits of wild swimming.