Former City Of Birmingham Public Baths, Now Aston University Sports Centre

Former City of Birmingham Public Baths, now Aston University Sports Centre

Swimming baths for the City of Birmingham, now converted to a pool and gymnasium for Aston University. The building has a complex history: the original structure opened in 1860 as Birmingham's second public baths following the 1846 Public Baths and Wash-houses Act. It included a large swimming bath and suites of private baths for men and women, with a steam laundry added later. In 1902, a further pool and first-class private baths were added. The building underwent substantial reconstruction in 1926, designed by Arthur McKewan, ARIBA, for the City of Birmingham, with only the main swimming pool, former private baths space, and toilets surviving from the circa 1902 work. The reconstructed 1926 establishment included a Gala Bath, private baths, and a large laundry, and opened in April 1926.

The building is constructed of brown brick with stone plinth and stone dressings. It features steep slate hipped roofs and brick parapets with stone copings.

The Woodcock Street elevation contains an entrance block to the right with paired two-storey wings linked by an arcaded entrance to an open courtyard. Each wing has wide advanced quoins and a central window bay of stone panels above and below windows in brick frames with stone square corner details and 'X' metal mullions. Behind the parapets are steep hipped roofs with a rusticated chimney at each angle. The central arch carries a modern sign above a stone plaque reading 'CITY OF BIRMINGHAM PUBLIC BATHS'. The main entrance features a stone portal with bay leaf decoration to the architrave, circles at the corners, and a keyblock. Above this is a stone plaque bearing the arms of Birmingham and the date 'AD 1925'. To the left, a tall single-storey range has three similarly detailed windows, then an advanced canted corner with an inserted tall wide entrance detailed with a copper plaque and a square window to the return.

The Aston Street elevation has a tall single-storey range of three bays defined by pilasters below vertical recesses in the brickwork, each bay containing two tall ground floor windows with similar detailing to the front. The centre features a lower range with a recessed entrance under an abstract voussoired brick arch with keyblock. At the far left stands a four-bay boiler block with a raised central clerestory. Each bay is defined by full-height rusticated pilasters, with a ground floor window similar to the front but horizontally arranged, and below each is a circular window within a stone frame. A central stone plaque dates the boiler house to 1924. The side and rear elevations are plainer.

The interior retains significant original features. The entrance hall is lined with pale green and white brick tiles with turquoise borders. A pair of arched openings with wooden stick and turned balusters leads to the stairs at the front of the building. The reception vestibule has wood-panelled walls glazed to the top with margin lights and corner circle detail.

The main pool, dating from circa 1902, occupies a long rectangular hall with white tiled walls featuring blue and brown banding and terracotta decoration. The sides have narrowly arcaded cubicles with terracotta arches studded with ball ornament. The roof structure consists of bolted elliptical girders pierced with quatrefoil decoration, boarded above with a raised clerestory visible externally. The east end features a viewing gallery with an iron balustrade of freely handled Gothic design and a wide terracotta blind arch. The west end wall has a large three-light transomed mullioned window with coloured glass set in a terracotta frame with side panels. The pool itself is tile-lined with bands of polychrome tiles.

The former Gala Pool, now a sports hall, has a wooden gymnasium floor laid over the pool with wide elliptical ribs and a raised clerestory with arched supports. A metal railing in 'X' pattern runs behind stepped gallery seating.

The former laundry, now a gymnasium, has glazed brick tile walls and wooden trusses. The former private baths, now changing rooms, retains wooden trusses with rods and a raised clerestory with arched braces to each bay. Original toilet cubicles from circa 1902 survive, clad in glazed tiles with the same blue and brown banding as the main pool.

The entrance hall to Aston Street is similarly tiled to the main entrance hall. The wooden doors feature glazed panels to the top with eight triangular lights.