Located in the historic Ynysangharad War Memorial Park adjacent to Pontypridd town centre, the Grade II listed Lido offered an opportunity to deliver a modern-day leisure hub accessible to all. Constructed in 1927, the Lido was listed as one of the ‘earliest and best preserved Lido’s in South Wales’ and is one of the only listed Lido’s in the UK. Since its closure in 1991 the buildings suffered severe weather damage, material deterioration and fire damage.

A budget of £6 million was gained from a combination of the Heritage Lottery Fund, European Regional Development Fund, Cadw and the Local Authority client Rhondda Cynon Taf to restore the Lido as a key destination within the strategic vision for Pontypridd town centre.

Appointed at RIBA Stage 3, DSA led a multidiscipline team to sensitively restore the existing main building, public toilets, changing cubicles and verandahs and replace an existing café and plant house with a new build café, interpretation centre, all weather changing block and plant room.