Haggerston Complex
Project type: Adaptive Reuse
Location: London, UK
Purpose: #Community Bonding #Habitat Enhancement
Toolkit & Competencies：
Haggerston Baths (HB) remained a cornerstone of local life until 1999. Since then, it has been "abandoned" for 25 years. However, in an ecological perspective, HB have actually been a remarkable process of "urban rewilding." The site has quietly woven itself into a tight-knit ecological network with the nearby canal and city farm.
The Verdant Nymphaeum seeks to bridge the human and biological perspectives. Rather than over-intervening with HB's naturalised facade, to respect its current state and extend that wild vitality into the interior to create a series of multi-functional public spaces. For instance, by opening up the decayed skylight structures, we transform the once-enclosed "swimming pool" into a sun-drenched, plant-filled water garden.
While renovating for humans, we didn't forget to "rehouse" the old residents. For the swifts nesting in the brickwork crevices, the wild bees, and the small bats foraging along the canal at night, we designed habitat boxes tailored to their specific ecological habits.
The project bridges species by aligning animal survival with human well-being. While wildlife finds habitat within the ruins, residents find restorative joy. This synergy allows the community to reconnect with urban ecology through daily observation, transforming the ruin into a shared living sanctuary.