Riddle, Rubble, and Ripple by Jihoon Baek will be presented at the AT Awards live finals on 17 September 2025. Learn more about the project below.

University
The Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London

Riddle, Rubble, and Ripple: Redrawing the Metropolitan Open Floodplains reimagines the Gurnell Leisure Centre in Ealing to create a more accessible and ecologically responsive floodplain leisure landscape. It follows three guiding principles: Riddle, which reflects historical cohabitation with floodplains; Rubble, which focuses on the reuse of existing structures; and Ripple, which explores future water-based recreation. Rather than a single building, the design proposes dispersed leisure elements across Metropolitan Open Land, reclaiming the floodplain as shared space for people and wildlife.

The scheme aims to restore ecological vitality and public use to land often overlooked or threatened by development. Through biosolid-mixed concrete and terracotta interventions, the project stabilises soil, channels floodwater, and supports natural regeneration. Tree planting and water-responsive design enable the landscape to adapt to changing conditions with minimal intervention. By yielding to water rather than resisting it, the design enhances biodiversity while providing inclusive, low-impact recreation.

Key existing elements of the leisure centre are retained and repurposed. Inefficient indoor pools are transformed into an open-air lido and public pond, connected to a water-source heat pump that draws from the River Brent’s floodplain. The original building’s structure is partially preserved and adapted using recycled materials, minimising embodied carbon. A new Olympic-standard pool is added with minimal foundation work to avoid unnecessary environmental disruption.

Leisure functions are distributed across the site, reducing dependency on a single structure and improving access to health and recreational facilities. The masterplan supports phased development, future disassembly, and reuse, aligning with sustainability goals. The project meets several UN Sustainable Development Goals by promoting health, clean energy, climate action, and responsible resource use, while fostering long-term community stewardship of the floodplain.

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