Parkside Pool, Cambridge
February 1999
SPACE & PLACE was commissioned to produce a landmark building, housing a state of the art swimming pool, to be situated within the central conservation area of the city.
Cambridge Parkside features a 25-metre, 8 lane competition swimming pool, a diving pool with moveable floor and integrated air cushion, children’s pool, 300 spectator seating and a health and fitness suite with spa, sauna, steam room and café.
The large spaces, including the pool areas are enclosed by an elegant ’wave form’ roof held between 2 V struts on either side. This rhythm of structure runs through the entire length of the building and is clearly expressed externally.
The shape of the roof was designed to reduce the bulk and impact of the building to Gonville Square. The transparency of the glazed pool hall induces a delightful open feel with distant views across the square from the water’s edge.
Parkside pool was awarded the David Urwin Award for Building of the Century in Cambridge.