The project consists of a new leisure centre building containing a 25m long swimming pool and fitness facilities for Lucan Sports & Leisure.

The architectural concept harks back to the original house on the site, Esker Villa. The brief is accommodated within a walled enclosure, similar to the walled garden that might once have occupied the area close to a grand house. A wall wraps around the building, opening up in certain areas to create internal courts – places of arrival or protected external spaces – and steps up at openings to reveal the swimming and gymnasium functions of the building. Some spaces look out onto their own enclosed courts, allowing secure access to external landscaped gardens during the warmer months, with potential for external exercise.

A new pedestrian entrance to the Griffeen Valley Park is created on Esker Manor that leads between the new and existing buildings to the open park area to the south. The new pool building is entered from one of the courts that opens to welcome arrivals from the road or car park. The external space receives dramatic natural light from a large opening in the roof.

A concourse with a reception area welcomes visitors providing supervision of the concourse, pool and arrival point to the building. Further down the concourse a café area overlooks the swimming pool and opens out onto an external south - west facing terrace and engages with the park.