By providing a relaxing place for regular hydrotherapy sessions and an outlet for pent-up energy and relaxation, the new state of the art sensory swimming pool at Bradstow School is meeting the needs of all its pupils.
Bradstow School in Broadstairs, Kent, is a residential school maintained by the London Borough of Wandsworth for children who are severely disabled with autism. Regular use of a swimming pool is essential for hydrotherapy sessions, as an outlet for pent-up energy and for relaxation. The only practical way for the school to deliver its objectives and allow its therapists to provide the benefits of hydrotherapy to each child on a regular basis was to have a swimming pool located within its own self-contained parkland. The school embarked upon a number of fund raising projects and eventually sufficient funds were raised to allow them to proceed. In a competition involving five design and build specialists, the proposal from Pinelog was chosen. Pinelog’s competitive price, many years’ experience in the design and build of hydrotherapy swimming pools and the fact that it could deliver a full turnkey service were all key in the selection process.
- Constructed in timber frame with glulam beams and trusses
- Vaulted style roof over pool hall
- External brick facing and Siberian larch cladding for low maintenance
- Insulated 12.5m x 5m hydrotherapy pool with constant depth of 1.2m
- Relaxation room
- Sensory lighting, sound system and fun floats
- First floor overlooking pool for meeting/conference room
- Pool operates at 32o C
- Interactive multi-sensory equipment includes massage jets, water curtain and spray mushroom
- Audio system with underwater speakers and coloured underwater and roof lighting
What the client said
"Our new sensory swimming pool looks fantastic and the children and young people have a great time in the water while the added sensory experience help their development and learning. It is low energy, sustainable, aesthetically pleasing and thankfully a very robust building as it is in constant use. It is a wonderful new asset for the school."
