Baths and Wash-houses, St Mary Newington (Architectural Competition)

THE COMPETITION FOR BATHS AND WASHHOUSES, ST. MARY, NEWINGTON - The ten designs which were submitted in this competition have been exhibited during the last few days at the Newington Vestry Hall, Walworth-road. The competing architects were asked by the Commissioners to send in designs, and the conditions state that Mr. Rowland Plumbe would act as assessor. In the assessor's award the first place and premium of £150 has been allotted to Mr. E. B. I 'Anson, the second premium of £100 to Mr. Charles Bell, the third of £75 to Messrs. Spalding & Cross, and the fourth of £50 to Messrs. Harner and Pinches. The site chosen was in Manor Place, Walworth, and was shaped with frontage only to Manor Place. In addition to this space three arches under the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway were available for the requirements of the establishment. The accommodation asked for in the conditions included the provision of first and second-class swimming-baths for men, a ladies’ swimming-bath, twenty first class and thirty-five second-class slipper baths for men, ten first-class and fifteen second-class baths for women, A public laundry naturally formed part of the scheme, with complete fittings. The accommodation for the establishment also had to include board-room, offices, etc., and residences for the superintendent and the engineer. The provision of establishment laundry, and the necessary engine, boiler, and dynamo-rooms was also required. The stipulated price for the buildings was £35,000, with a margin of 10 per cent. Considerable diversity has been shown by the competing architects in the arrangement of their plan, and though the points to which the assessor seems to have attached most importance appear to have been economy of administration in the first place, and then the provision of all the baths on the ground floor, several of the competitors were found to have placed their entrances in such a position as to necessitate two ticket offices, whereas the simplest arrangement is to so arrange the entrances that one ticket office will suffice for the whole establishment. The arrangement of the largest swimming bath for the purposes of a public hall during the winter months was another point where divergence of opinion showed itself; several competitors show carefully-arranged exits direct to street, whereas others appear to have lost sight of the requirements of the County Council in granting a licence. Mr. E. B. I'Anson places the first-class swimming-bath at the back of the Manor place block, the second-class bath at the back of the side block, and the ladies' swimming-bath at the corner. This arrangement gives access from Manor-place by a double entrance, with one ticket office between to the swimming-baths and the slipper-baths, which are grouped with the swimming-baths. The public laundry then occupies a position next the railway, under the arches of which are placed the mangling and ironing rooms, whilst the third arch is devoted to a coal store. The several sets of baths are provided with waiting rooms, and a feature is made of a refreshment room and club room near the main entrance. The basement accommodates the engine, dynamo, and boiler rooms, and the establishment laundry, whilst the first floor is devoted to Board room, clerk's office, and dwelling rooms for engineer and superintendent, part of which are placed on the second floor. The elevations are designed in a quiet style, suited to the character of the building. Mr. Charles Bell's design shows considerable similarity to the last named in the portions allotted to the three swimming baths. An official entrance has been provided in Manor-place, and the board room, clerk's office, and cloak room face the street, whilst a corridor divides these and a club room adjacent to the bath at the back. The engineer’s and superintendent's dwelling rooms are placed on the first floor. Messrs. Spalding & Cross contribute a carefully thought-out design, the general arrangement of the baths coinciding to a great extent with the former two. The position of one of the waiting-rooms, so that the main communication with the second-class swimming baths runs through it, does not seem to be entirely desirable. The elevations are distinctly good. Messrs. Harner & Pinches adopt a different plan, and have placed the ladies’ swimming-bath next to the laundry, with the women’s slipper-bath on the first floor, so that the laundry office may be available. The corridor to second-class swimming-bath has thus been carried along the boundary with the ticket-office at the end of the Manor-place frontage. A high average of excellence appears to distinguish most of the ten designs submitted, and all appear to have been prepared with great care. The assessor does not appear to have agreed with many of the competitors on the estimate of the cost of their designs, and cost seems to have influenced him to a considerable extent in his award. [Builder 12 August 1893 page 118]