“‘…the last remaining ‘slipper’ baths
on the island of Ireland.’”
The historic Templemore Baths – located on Templemore Avenue, Belfast – are the last remaining ‘slipper’ baths on the island of Ireland.
The Baths will be refurbished into a flagship swimming facility with an innovative heritage experience. A behind-the-scenes look into an age before private bathrooms. Visitors will be guided through heritage spaces where they’ll discover engaging multi-sensory interactives and interpretive narratives.
Belfast City Council secured a Stage 1 Development Grant from the Heritage and Lottery Fund Heritage Enterprise Programme.
Tandem’s Interpretive Planning & Design team were tasked to deliver a interpretive design solution, co-ordinating with the architectural team, led by AECOM and Consarc. We developed an Interpretive Plan for the Round 2 funding application. The grant was awarded in December 2018 and Tandem are now in the process of implementing the proposals.
Tandem collaborated with staff at the Baths, Templemore Users Trust, the local community and key stakeholders at Council level to identify themes and narratives that best represent the compelling story of the Baths.
A visitor-focused approach was designed to positively impact the local community and celebrate the people who used the baths over five generations.
The Interpretive Plan featured a rationalisation of all relevant project documentation, demonstrating how the interpretive design supported the project’s Strategic Objectives and the aspirations of the project’s Audience Development Report and Activity Plan.
Incorporating the findings of an in-depth research phase, we developed a scheme design featuring comprehensive design visualisations for each zone, display methodologies, multimedia and other interactive elements – all linked to learning objectives tailored to the defined audience.
Interpretation also extended into new build areas of the development, blending ‘old’ with ‘new’ delivering a strong sense of welcome, orientation and wayfinding.
The final developments at Templemore Baths will enhance the public value of Templemore Avenue, celebrating a new realisation of modern and Victorian heritage collaboration through a thought-provoking, enjoyable and accessible experience at this unique visitor attraction.