Brockwell Lido

Brockwell Lido, built in 1937, was designed by Harry Rowbotham and T L Smithson in the Moderne style for the London County Council. It consists of a rectangular bathing pool enclosed by a 3-metre-high red brick wall, with a brick-on-edge pattern at the top. Single-storey, flat-roofed pavilion buildings run along the sides, featuring metal Crittall windows and rendered parapets, window surrounds, door surrounds, and plinths.

The south side contains the majority of the pavilions, including the main entrance with turnstiles and a paybox, and vestibules on each side leading to men’s and women’s changing rooms. A square clock, originally positioned centrally in the poolside front, has three entrances underneath and a recessed window on each side. This is flanked by projecting changing rooms with two windows each, followed by recessed sections with seven windows. Further entrance vestibules are attached to the east and west, connecting to a large hall on one side and offices on the other, with a total of five windows. The north side houses the cafe building with a taller central section featuring original signage and a pattern of horizontal bands. French windows are present on the ground floor, flanked by lower sections with one tall window and wide doors.

The designers also created the Victoria Park Lido (demolished) in 1936, alongside lidos at Charlton and Parliament Hill Fields. Initially, the London County Council provided land for lidos within parks, but these were operated by individual local authorities. In the 1930s, the LCC began directly providing its own lido facilities.