The Bournemouth Lifeguard Corps Hub, a new sustainable facility on the Bournemouth beachfront, is set to open its doors in March 2025. This purpose-built centre represents a milestone for the Corps, a registered charity that has been safeguarding Bournemouth’s beaches since 1965. Located at the Joseph Steps site beneath West Cliff Zig-Zag, the hub is designed to elevate lifeguard training, provide upgraded operational facilities, and serve as the heart of the Corps’ activities.
A Coastal Design Inspired by Bournemouth’s Beachfront
The Bournemouth Lifeguard Corps has long operated from an outdated building at the base of the West Cliff Zig-Zag, which had fallen into disrepair. This new centre marks a much-needed upgrade, delivering a facility tailored to the Corps’ vital work in water safety and community support.
The building will serve as both a training and educational hub, enabling the development of new lifeguarding talent to protect Bournemouth’s thriving coastline. It features:
- Dedicated training rooms for lifeguard development and community education.
- Operational spaces to enhance day-to-day lifeguard activities.
- Equipment storage and changing facilities designed for practicality and functionality.
This state-of-the-art facility will not only support the Corps’ mission but also welcome other community groups, offering a shared resource that benefits the entire region.
Sustainability at the Core of the Design
At Footprint Architects, we take pride in designing buildings that are as sustainable as they are functional. The Bournemouth Lifeguard Corps Hub embodies this ethos with several key eco-friendly features:
- Reusing Existing Foundations: The facility is built on the slab and low-level walls of the previous structure, reducing reliance on new materials and limiting site disruption.
- Eco-Friendly Materials: A light timber frame and natural wood-effect cladding minimise embodied carbon while blending with the coastal environment.
- Incorporating high insulation, airtightness, and mechanical heat and ventilation recovery units ensures minimal energy consumption.
- Solar Energy Integration: Overhangs on the southern façade provide solar shading, while PV panels on the roof aim for a net-zero operational footprint.
Empowering the Next Generation of Lifesavers
Designed as a space to promote health, fitness, and water safety, the facility supports the Lifeguard Corps’ mission to protect lives along Bournemouth’s beaches. The building will serve as a venue for health and fitness activities on the beach and in the pool, creating a supportive environment where members can gain skills, improve well-being, and build strong connections. By collaborating with organisations like the Royal Lifesaving Society (RLSS) and Surf Lifesaving Great Britain (SLSGB), the hub will further enhance water safety education, helping to make Bournemouth’s beaches safer and more enjoyable for everyone.
With over 100 members working alongside the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) during peak seasons, the organisation plays a critical role in keeping beachgoers safe.This new hub will empower the Corps to expand its reach, encourage local participation, and foster a new generation of lifeguards. The project ensures that this facility serves both lifeguards and the broader community.
We look forward to sharing more updates as this project nears completion. This project exemplifies our commitment to designing sustainable, community-focused spaces. We’re proud to have worked with BCP council to design a purpose built community space that will empower the Bournemouth Lifeguard Corps to continue their invaluable work, ensuring our beaches are safer and more enjoyable for everyone.
If you have a community project in mind, we’d love to work with you. Contact us below or view our community and leisure page to see how we could help you.
