Orms were invited to take part in a competition to replace an existing swimming pool with a new pool, changing facilities and dance studio for St John’s School. The site had a number of constraints that needed to be addressed – the proximity of residential properties, relationship to existing sports hall, and constraints of the surrounding sports fields.
Our proposal was to lift the pool hall up to the first floor, creating the opportunity to use the existing pool tank and basement as plant room space, and to slot in between this and the pool the changing facilities, reception and dance studio. This would provide an efficient building footprint and a building scale mediated to its neighbours. An entrance courtyard in the tradition of the school quads would be provided. The proposed hall structure would be formed from a glue laminated beam diagrid and cross laminated roof panels. Public users are provided with their own entrance, allowing the school optimal flexibility in how to use the building.
Orms were invited to take part in a competition to replace an existing swimming pool with a new pool, changing facilities and dance studio for St John’s School. The site had a number of constraints that needed to be addressed – the proximity of residential properties, relationship to existing sports hall, and constraints of the surrounding sports fields.
Our proposal was to lift the pool hall up to the first floor, creating the opportunity to use the existing pool tank and basement as plant room space, and to slot in between this and the pool the changing facilities, reception and dance studio. This would provide an efficient building footprint and a building scale mediated to its neighbours. An entrance courtyard in the tradition of the school quads would be provided. The proposed hall structure would be formed from a glue laminated beam diagrid and cross laminated roof panels. Public users are provided with their own entrance, allowing the school optimal flexibility in how to use the building.
John McRae
Director