The Merewether Baths is arguably one of Newcastle’s most iconic and adored pieces of public infrastructure. The Merewether Baths are considered the largest seawater baths in Australia and their scale signifies the importance outdoor swimming and the beach play in the Australian cultural identity.

The project brief required the design team to reinvigorate the rapidly deteriorating 70-year-old baths, breathing new life into the space through increased accessibility and public amenity without impacting the ambience and “infinity edge” character of the pool.

Moir Studio demonstrated design excellence by adopting a sensitive approach to the redesign of the baths that celebrates and protects the site's social and cultural history. This was achieved through subtle interventions that dealt with complex level changes, the preservation of important historical elements, and the provision of much-needed spaces and amenities to enjoy the spectacular setting.

Our proposal included terraced platforms into the children’s pool, a realignment of access ways to provide safer and more legible pedestrian connections, a wheelchair accessible ramp into the water and high-quality finishes and seating with materials to suit the harsh coastal environment.