A boathouse partially submerged in a calm lake, surrounded by trees. The building has a wooden structure with a shingled roof. The water reflects the boathouse and the surrounding greenery. A bench is visible on the paved path nearby.

Serpentine Boathouse

London, England

2010

Client London Youth Rowing

Buildings · Culture & Leisure

Along the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, one of two heritage-listed boathouses is to be refurbished, gaining additional space for training, socialising and relaxation. The proposal raises its A-frame roof by approximately half a storey, effectively increasing its usable area by about 40 percent.

Exterior view of a building with a large window featuring a diamond-shaped lattice design. Inside, fluorescent lights illuminate desks and plants, partially visible through the window panes. The building has a brick facade and a sloped roof.

The substantial new elements needed to elevate the roof will be grounded in the existing structure and decoration of these simple buildings.

Cross-bracing will follow the chevron and cross motifs already found in the brickwork of the existing building.

A building with a brick base and horizontal slatted upper section, featuring a cross-braced support structure, urban setting, with people and outdoor furniture. Architecture by MOXON Architects.

Two wooden boathouses by a lake with reflections, surrounded by green and yellow trees, under a partly cloudy sky; architecture by MOXON Architects.

A lakeside promenade with white benches and lamp posts, trees in the background, a small wooden structure on water, and a partly cloudy sky; architecture by MOXON Architects.

The practice was invited to prepare the designs for this project by the charity London Youth Rowing and the Royal Parks Foundation following the installation of the first Royal Parks Drinking fountains, designed by the practice, next to Kensington Palace.