Battersea

BATTERSEA BLUE BLAZE

Battersea Blue Blaze is a swimming facility integrated into an already existing part of the Battersea Power Station complex. Wilk-Salinas Architekten were invited to take part in this international competition and presented a design that met with a strong response. A pool suspended above the bank of the Thames forms the striking heart of the facility, a landmark visible from far that attracts residents and visitors alike.

The summer terrace located on the jetty and on the bank is a popular place for younger and older people alike to relax, and can also be used as a cultural and bathing venue. A continuous network of paths, hanging gardens and viewing platforms connects river, jetty and city into an immersive environment with constantly changing perspectives. The facility is integrated into a network of routes that opens up the public space around the Thames. The suspended pool is more than a bathing facility, it becomes a central social meeting point where leisure, sport and encounter come together.

In poor weather a folding roof can be deployed with ease. This light, transformable construction modulates light, shade and weather conditions over the course of the day and allows the facility to switch flexibly between open and covered use without losing structural clarity or visual impact. It offers space for relaxed leisure activities during the day as well as for cultural evening events and private celebrations.

With this combination of structural innovation and urban strategy, Battersea Blue Blaze shows how architecture can expand the possibilities of waterfront zones and create a flexible, lively and continuously changing public space.