Making Waves: Civic Bathhouse

A conceptual civic bathhouse located on the South Bank of the Thames, designed as a place for well-being, connection and social resilience.

Responding to rising mental health challenges, particularly among young people, the project reimagines the historic bathhouse as a contemporary urban retreat. The scheme provides thermal pools, saunas, treatment spaces, movement studios and public gathering areas, offering environments for calm, restoration and connection.

The architecture is shaped by sensory progression, light and material clarity, drawing inspiration from the work of Zumthor and Ando. Buildings are carefully arranged within the landscape to preserve green space, enhance public access and guide visitors from active civic spaces to quieter, contemplative settings.

Sustainability is embedded throughout, with material reuse, passive environmental strategies and landscape regeneration forming a central part of the proposal. The project positions architecture as a tool for social care, inclusion and long-term urban value.