Poolside Politics Part 2 Project 2024 James Langlois University of Westminster | UK Across the South of France access to water is becoming increasingly political. Marseille’s civic swimming pools were once symbols of a golden era of municipal building but are now desolate oases in spite of their continued essentiality. Their abandonment and a deteriorating infrastructure have become a measure of the inequality felt by many citizens.In response this project proposes a citizen-led movement, based on a Radical Municipalism, is formed to reclaim Piscine Luminy, one such complex bordering the city. The programme looks to redefine the poolside, creating a centre for the collective of activists and establishing localised industry in the form of soap production. This is alongside restoring the sites civic purpose through the reopening of the Olympic size swimming pool and new community baths to the public.This will be achieved through a sequential, construction based activism that utilises a palette of salvaged materials, both from the site and locally sourced from other abandoned buildings and a quarry. The reconfiguring and repurposing of concrete elements, metal framing and sheeting, timber and limestone combine to transform the two existing buildings and create a collection of surrounding reclaimed assemblies including a construction workshop, diving pool factory, housing and areas for cultivation. Tutor(s) Anthony Boulanger