Europe's longest freshwater pool to be built in London Docklands as part of £250m campus

Europe's longest freshwater pool will be built as part of the new Republic campus in Poplar
Studio RHE
Patrick Grafton-Green2 December 2016

The longest freshwater pool in Europe will be built in London's Docklands as part of a £250m campus hoping to attract the next generation of creative and tech businesses.

The new workspace, dubbed Republic, will be built at East India Dock in Poplar, and work has already started on the first of four buildings.

The campus will house shops, bars, cafes and a large gym, as well as a number of outdoor terraces and water gardens.

It will also include Europe's longest freshwater pool, at 100m in length.

The design is centred around well-being at work, with increased daylight, better levels of ventilation and direct connections with nature.

The atrium in one of the Republic buildings (Studio RHE)
RHE Studio

It is hoped that this will create an “attractive work and leisure environment, becoming a new neighbourhood in this previously overlooked corner of London’s Docklands”.

Completing in phases over the next five years, the first building is set to be finished in October, with the campus eventually providing 650,000 sq ft of high-quality affordable workplace, half the cost of Shoreditch and a third of the cost of the West End.

The entrance to one of the Republic buildings
Studio RHE

Architect Studio RHE is working with Trilogy Property and LaSalle Investment Management on the project.

Director of Studio RHE, Richard Hywel Evans, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to transform a 1990s office complex into a dynamic collaborative 21st century campus.

“The creation of varied flexible working spaces, installation of innovative amenities and facilities, combined with extensive new public realm, will create a sustainable unique new working neighbourhood.”

The view from one of the cafes
Studio RHE

The man behind the project is Robert Wolstenholme, Director of Trilogy Property.

He added: “Our aim is to create a ‘trophy’ workplace for London but deliverable at occupational costs comparable to Manchester, Birmingham or Reading.”

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