Londoners invited to take the plunge as part of innovative King’s Cross art project

The All In London Blog

Swimmers now have the opportunity to get back to nature, in the urban setting of London’s King’s Cross, in the UK’s first ever public swimming pond, opened to visitors from 22 May as part of an innovative experiential art project created by Ooze Architects and artist Marjetica Potrč. The installation piece entitled 'Of Soil and Water': King's Cross Pond Club is a natural, chemical-free bathing pond open to swimmers and visitors at the King’s Cross site.

Measuring approximately 10m wide by 40m long, the central swimming pond is purified through a natural closed-loop process, using wetland and submerged water plants to filter and sustain clean and clear water. The pond, which is due to be in place for up to two years, is surrounded by both hard and soft landscaping, including pioneer plants, wild flowers grasses, and bushes so that the environment evolves as the seasons change.

The artist Marjetica Potrč said of the work:
“We have to re-think how we live with the city and with nature. Here, we are collaborating with nature and the artwork encourages the viewer to participate in that experience. Water is a source of life but it is also a metaphor for regeneration. We want to understand our influence upon nature but also our balance with nature.”


‘Of Soil and Water’: King’s Cross Pond Club is located in Lewis Cubitt Park and Square; its aim is to provide visitors and people living in the area with a beautiful and relaxing vantage point from where they can swim and enjoy a piece of nature in an urban location.

The pond will be open Monday-Friday from 6am-dusk, and Saturday-Sunday from 8am-dusk; booking enquiries can be made by visiting www.kingscrosspond.club. Please note that bookings will only be available from the 22 May 2015. Visitor numbers at the pond are restricted due to its chemical free nature and therefore tickets will be available for designated sessions throughout the day and two weeks in advance. Tickets prices will range from £6.50 for peak swims, to £3.50 for non-peak swims. Non swimmers will be able to visit the pond at a discounted rate.

Posted Date
May 20, 2015 in The All In London Blog by All In London