Urban Palimpsest

FINALIST of London Urban Retreat: Haggerston Public Baths

+ FINALIST

London Urban Retreat: Haggerston Public Baths

[20435]

Urban Palimpsest: Ciltural Re-writing the Social Bath

Team

Name: Hyuntak Kim

Instagram: jip_e_joaye

Nationality: Republic of Korea

Name: Woochang Lee

Instagram: wooooo_chang

Nationality: Republic of Korea

Name: Hyunggyu Cho

Instagram: cho.hggyu

Nationality: Republic of Korea

---

Historically, Haggerston Baths was a vital social hub providing hygiene for local residents. Our proposal reinterprets this legacy of gathering to meet contemporary needs.

The Library We propose a public library that transforms the former pool—once filled with water—into a space that holds knowledge. By preserving the original arched ceiling and the deepening floor section, we create a grand gathering space that naturally draws focus toward the center. Bookshelves are modest in scale and spaced to encourage visual encounters. Their heights gradually lower toward the center, while the original sloped floor creates a stage-like relationship between the entrance and the stacks.

The Gallery To connect Haggerston’s diverse ethnic communities, we propose galleries within the existing shear-wall structure. By utilizing a grid of similarly sized spaces with minimal hierarchy, the design provides an equal platform for all cultures, fostering both internal bonding and intercultural encounters.

The Garden The garden offers a serene retreat from the urban environment. Directly linked to the library and galleries, it features the original sawtooth roof. This system filters soft natural light, creating a calm atmosphere while adding a rhythmic quality to the western facade.

---

---

Jury Comments

– David Aldana

Beautiful design but the idea is not complex. It is important to provide a library for the neighborhood but I’m afraid this would only serve a very select group of people and would not create a retreat environment. Very beautiful and clean design that is more adequate for a gallery/museum.

– Josefine Fokdal

This project offers a cultural center including a library (the former pool) and a art gallery and a indoor garden. The pool ‘holds knowledge’ is a nice phrasing.