This case study focuses on the requirement for a Changing Place facility within Paddington Recreation Ground, London. Westminster Council put the project for this Changing Place install out to tender under the Government funding scheme. It was to be delivered in conjunction with another Changing Place for the Queen Mother Sports Centre, Victoria, London (which we’ll talk about in a separate case study), and we were happy to be successful with our bid.
The Changing Place was to be located within an old shower block within Paddington Recreation Ground. This was a separate block to the adjacent leisure centre, and has previously been accessible from outside, but the external door had been blocked up. This meant that access was only possible via an internal door.
Staying faithful to original architecture
Care Spaces planned to restore the external access point and block up the internal door. The client chose to keep an original window as it was an architectural feature of the building, but it was covered in film to reduce visibility into the area and maintain user privacy.
The existing radiator within the space was functional but required replacing with a low surface temperature radiator for safety and compliance. The room also required a new doorway with a wider aperture for full access. However, since the client wanted to keep faithful to the original design of the shower block, the room required a custom-made door to match the other doors into the building.
One of the challenges of this project was the drain collection for the Changing Place. The only option was through the wall into an adjacent toilet block. However, the height of the drain made this difficult and Care Spaces had to adjust the position to make it work effectively.
Access matters
Access into the building also had to be taken into consideration in the design. The external door exited onto a patio area covered in quarry tiles. These had to be lifted and re-laid, with a ramp created to provide an access point into the building since there was a difference between the inside and outside floor levels. Another ramp was created from the patio down to the tarmac path, making the Changing Place accessible to wheelchair users and other users with accessibility needs.
Inside the Changing Place, the client chose the same mid-range fixtures and fittings as they had for the Queen Mother Sports Centre, Victoria, London. The entire Changing Places install project took five weeks, and the client is extremely happy with both Changing Places. Registration of the Paddington Recreation Ground Changing Place on the National Map is now underway.
