PORCHESTER Spa in Bayswater is London’s original spa destination, steeped in heritage and character. Built in 1929, this art deco gem dates back to the golden age of public bath houses. With its traditional steam rooms and icy plunge pools, the spa preserves the time-honoured rituals of communal bathing – practices passionately upheld by its loyal community of regular users throughout its almost 100-year history. Whilst the modern spa has become ubiquitous, the period features and facilities offered by this one offers an authenticity that can only be experienced in a few locations today. As Historic England notes: ‘The Porchester Spa complex is now exceptionally rare, and is thought to be the best surviving example.’Today it is a thriving community complex with a main pool, small pool, gym and studios, in addition to the spa facilities – a jewel in the crown of the local community boasting 3,500 local members. Porchester has survived, largely in tact, through numerous renovations and re-developments over the years but, as its first century anniversary approached, a major restoration and preservation project was clearly required. EveryoneActive, in partnership with Westminster City Council, rose to the challenge of modernising the facilities while enhancing the building’s energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Crucially, however, the operator was determined that the £800,000 project would also preserve the site’s heritage value.

First steps

Everyone Active took over management of Porchester Spa on 1 July 2016, and it quickly became clear during the procurement process that the spa’s ageing facilities were in urgent need of investment. Initially, the operator commissioned Space & Place to design a modern refurbishment. However, following consultation with longstanding users, it became evident that a sympathetic restoration – rather than a contemporary redesign – was the preferred and most appropriate approach to revitalising the much-loved spa. As part of the consultation process, Everyone Active invited one of the spa’s regular users to join the design team, working alongside the architects, principal contractors Vincent Stokes and M&E specialists Yorkshire Building Services. This collaborative approach demonstrated a strong commitment to partnership between the local authority, the management contractor and the spa community, ensuring the restoration would reflect the needs of all stake-holders.

The challenges

The primary objective of the project was to restore the spa’s original splendour in a sensitive and authentic way, while addressing the very real challenges posed by warm, wet conditions to period features and materials. A further complication was the need to significantly reduce the environmental impact of this energy-intensive facility, all within a building constructed at a time when sustainability, insulation and energy efficiency were not considerations. Previous development work had caused substantial damage, with some original features lost entirely. From the 90-year-old pipework to period tiles worn by decades of footfall, the fabric of the spa had deteriorated significantly. The most cost-effective route would have been to install modern replacements –but doing so would have sacrificed the building’s unique character and heritage, undermining the very identity that the local community had fought to preserve. Beyond restoring the physical space, Everyone Active also had to ensure that the facility would be financially sustainable. While a reconfiguration ofthe internal layout might have improved flexibility and flow, such changes were simply not possible within the constraints of a listed building. This imposed limitations on how the space could evolve to meet future needs. A key stakeholder in the project was the Friends of Porchester Spa, a local user group that served as a critical partner throughout the process, that played an instrumental role in safe-guarding the integrity of the original design. One of the most prominent restoration challenges involved the building’s extensivetiling. Many tiles had become dull or damaged through years of use, but finding appropriate replacements that matched the original required extensive research. Another complex issue centred around the timber used in the steam rooms. Although timber is known to ‘bleed’ inwarm and wet environments – creating challenges for cleaning and maintenance– it was deemed too important to the spa’s historic feel to replace with synthetic alternatives. In other areas, poor maintenance, water ingress, leaking pipes and rot had caused extensive damage, while previous attempts a tmodernisation had removed significant original features, particularly in the rearsections of the building. At the same time, the restoration had to consider the expectations of today’s spa users. This meant incorporating modernised changing areas and improvedinsulation in the steam rooms to reduce heat loss – though these updates slightly reduced the facility’s overall footprint.

‘Previous development work had caused substantial damage, withsome original features lost entirely’

Where new materials were introduced, they were carefully selected to meet the high standards of authenticity required for a building of such heritage value. Every detail had to balance preservation with progress, ensuring the spa could serve both its historic legacy and the needs of modern users.

Design aims, aspirations and principals

The restoration project was driven by one fundamental, overarching aspiration; to retain, not only the original style and character of the spa, but to do so using materials and methods that honoured the building’s historical integrity. While this approach inevitably added to both the cost and timescales, it was the only acceptable path for a heritage project of this nature. A key design principle was to deliver a result that was not only aesthetically accurate and appropriate, but would remain timeless – ensuring the restored features would continue to look fitting for decades to come. The project also presented an opportunity to right past wrongs, addressing damage and poor repairs from previous refurbishments, particularly in the rear sections of the spa where many original features had been stripped out. Once the challenge of the tiling was resolved, this design was extended into previously compromised areas, creating a sense of visual continuity and authenticity throughout. This not only restored a unified design language but also created clear, uninterrupted sightlines across the facility. Achieving this required a deep understanding of the materials and techniques used in the 1920s, as well as insight into how they had with stood the rigours of daily use over nearly a century. These included retaining the detail onthe existing marble wall tiles above thenew tiled skirting, throughout the lowerspa and the windows around the plunge pool. To support this, a heritage architect was appointed, working alongside a tile conservationist and an artist specialising in restoration and repair. A few key observations from users helped shape practical improvements to the facility. These included features to support those with mobility issues, such as an additional handrail on the stairs to thelower level, a shower equipped with wallmounted handles and a retractable seat.Another important piece of feedbackconcerned the excess heat in the groundfloor relaxation area during the summermonths. In response, heat insulation was installed in the ceiling above the three hot rooms to prevent heat from rising and permeating the upper floor. Additionally, planning permission was secured to install large ceiling-mounted propeller fans at a later stage to further improve thermal comfort. Phase 1 of the restoration was completed in time for Porchester Spa’s 90th birthday celebrations. This included all key wet areas – the existing marbles labs wet treatment areas and the individual hot and cold showers, plus the warm and hot steam rooms, and the original Turkish hot room. Phase 2 works included the retiling of the pool surround, and an extension of the original ornate ceiling upstairs to create an ambience that was consistent with the ground floor. Working together Since the works were completed, the usage of the spa has increased substantially and many new users are become regulars.