Rosehill Townhouse is a new public leisure facility formed through an invited design competition, reimagining a much-loved coastal amenity that has served the town for generations. Set at the edge of the North Sea, with expansive views across the water and back toward the town, the project occupies a windswept, elemental site shaped by salt air, weather and light. The brief called for new changing facilities, a café, a gym and flexible public rooms, consolidating these uses into a civic building that anchors the lido as a year-round destination.

Arranged in an L-shaped plan, the building defines a sheltered external space for gatherings, events and informal use, offering relief from the prevailing coastal winds. The design draws inspiration from the long tradition of bathhouses — from antiquity to the Victorian seaside — reinterpreted through a contemporary Scottish lens. References to Scotland’s material culture and maritime heritage are embedded within the architecture, grounding the building firmly in place.

The single-storey changing rooms are top-lit and enclosed by textured masonry walls that undulate subtly, evoking the shifting surface of water and the erosion of coastal stone. In contrast, a two-storey wing containing the more civic functions addresses both town and sea, orientated to frame views outward to the horizon while acting as a marker within the wider coastal landscape. The main entrance is set within the sheltered junction of these two wings, drawing visitors into a sequence of warm, embracing spaces.

Internally, a progression of softly elliptical rooms unfolds from entrance to stair, gym and pool, creating a rhythmic spatial experience that mediates between exposure and enclosure. These spaces are conceived to support the rituals of swimming and changing throughout the year, offering comfort and dignity in all seasons. Robust materials and carefully modulated light lend the interior a sense of warmth and permanence, ensuring Rosehill Lido is both resilient to its harsh coastal environment and welcoming to the community it serves.