Leeds International Pool
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Leeds International Pool was constructed in the 1960s from designs by its architect John Poulson. The pool opened in 1967 but was inches too small to qualify as an olympic size pool.
In the first six months of opening, the facilities were used by over 220,000 people (then, nearly half the population of Leeds). However the buildings spent much of their early days closed, being repaired and alterations being made.
The architect John Poulson was convicted in 1974 of fraud in connection with the awarding of building contracts.
The facility closed in October 2007 and was replaced by the Aquatics Centre at the John Charles Centre for Sport (former South Leeds Stadium). Since then the pool has remained derelict and been subjected to heavy vandalism.
In 2008 the pool was re-opened by the OSA (Office for Subversive Architecture). To host an art installtion called the Accumulator. It transformed the building into a virtual water collector via a huge textile funnel in the building’s central glazed roof space.
This ran between February and March but the pool was closed again after the exhibition.
The pool is a place you either love or hate really. Its brutalist concrete construction which was so infamous in the 60s. Stands out like a sore thumb. Its sloping roof and oversized steps force you to look at it, in some ways it looks ugly and dull but in other ways it looks iconic and dominant, personally I think it looks stunning.
Inside is pretty much what we expect really. Smashed to pieces, grafitti, vandalism. Apart from that its structual appearance isnt that bad.
The most dominating feature of the place though has to be the 4 plat form dive board. Made from concrete, which towers above the pool.
Although the pool is now showing its age and has a few cracks in its foundations. Its still an impressive building and has become a landmark in Leeds.
Having explored a swimming pool in the past I was sceptical of exploring here as pools tend to be rather uninspiring. What makes Leeds Pool different though is its brutalist concrete architecture. Something which I am a fan off.
When we visited there was a demolition team also on site, presumably conducting preliminary surveys on its structural integrity?
Update: As of 2009 demolition has begun.
Date : 2009 : Location : Leeds : Explorers : Havoc : Jaff Fox
