LIMEHOUSE BLUES: TALES OF THE LOST BATHHOUSE

My project reclaims the river as a haven for Limehouse’s senior Chinese community, a social condenser on the River Thames. This manifests in the form of an off-grid, community-driven bathhouse. At its core, a water reclamation plant utilises the Thames as a direct source, filtering and distributing water throughout the building. The bathhouse perpetually cycles water, maintaining its operation while replenishing the river. Through a thoughtful interplay of materiality and structure, the design manipulates public and private views, while establishing the human body as a cultural archive in the city. As loyal visitors keep the bathhouse alive, it embraces the potential for future generations, allowing for adaptability and change as the inhabitants mould the space around them.