Harold Holt Memorial Swimming Centre, Brutalist swimming center in Glen Iris, Australia.
Harold Holt Memorial Swimming Centre is a brutalist swimming facility located in Glen Iris in the Australian state of Victoria. The complex includes an Olympic pool, diving areas, and indoor pools housed in a multilevel structure built with concrete and glass.
The complex was built in 1969 and replaced the municipal baths from 1927 at the same location. The name honors Prime Minister Harold Holt, who vanished while swimming in the ocean shortly before the opening.
The building follows brutalist design principles with raw surfaces and visible structural elements made of concrete and glass. Large windows bring in daylight and the architecture reflects the style common in public buildings from the late 1960s in Victoria.
The facility opens in the early morning hours and closes in the evening, offering swim lessons and fitness programs. Different pools and areas are designated for different types of swimming activities.
The outdoor area retains trees from the original 1927 pool garden, including Bhutan Cyprus and Canary Island Date Palms. These plants connect the current facility to the old bathhouse and create a green setting around the concrete structure.
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