“An undulating roof sweeps up from the ground as a wave, enclosing the pools of the Center with its unifying gesture of fluidity, whilst also describing the volume of the swimming and diving pools.”
The London Aquatics Center form may appear complex and confusing, but at its core, it is a simple concept brought to fruition through clear architectural moves. Zaha Hadid’s desire to respond to the fluid movement of water heavily influenced the form of the roof. Through iterations of forms, the roof took on an undulating wavelike structure. The concept of the form continued to drive design decisions throughout the design process. The roof structure, daylighting, ventilation, and construction process all became supports for the overbearing concept of the roof. The existing site also influenced and drove
design decisions. During the construction process, many needs had to be met to counteract the soil content, possible flooding from the nearby river, and the existing electric and pipe lines. The constant working relationship with the site, creates a clear image of why Zaha chose to emphasize the connection to the existing bridge. Raising the pool hall on a podium, and connecting the building to the public circulation entering and exiting the site. The flat podium appears to only support the roof, but underneath is programfilled space dedicated to public and private space.
The curved form of the roof steals the eyes of any pedestrian approaching the building. The flat podium, contrasting with the roof form, not only supports the pool hall structurally, but also pragmatically.
London Aquatics Center
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