Powlett Road WC, Lymington

This commission is to produce a series of public lavatories for the council as part of a rolling programme of replacement. The construction of each building comprises a steel frame supporting masonry infill walls and a lightweight roof. Foundations are designed to suit local conditions.

The architectural theme that runs through all of the projects is to float the roofs over the walls, and to raise the walls off the ground; both ideas have a utilitarian function as well as being an architectural device. All of the components and assemblies have been developed and evolved following the lessons learned on the earlier schemes, and a series of interdependencies have been designed into the structural system to minimise materials and costs. To protect the frames in the aggressive seaside environment, all steel is hot dipped galvanised before being painted.

Architect John Pardey Architects