We have recently completed a feasibility study for a tennis clubhouse within the town of Romsey, Hampshire. The brief incorporated a desire for an accessible and functional space that catered for events, matchplay, coach-led activities, recovery and a variety of tennis abilities for all ages. The project was last year’s winner of our annual Open Call initiative, inviting schools, arts institutions and community groups to submit a project deserving of improvement. We then draft up a pro-bono proposal to get the project to the next step in becoming reality.

The Romsey & Abbey Tennis Club has been at the heart of the community since the 1950s. Today, it sits within a wider sporting landscape, alongside a nearby swimming pool, sports complex and youth centre, with a prominent position on a main road into the town. The club has continued to grow over recent years, with investment from the Lawn Tennis Association and local council helping to resurface the courts and introduce floodlighting. What’s missing, however, is a proper home for the club itself. Currently, a small storage shed is the only building on site. Our proposal outlines how a new clubhouse could change this, providing space for administration and coaching, secure equipment storage, accessible toilets and a small kitchenette, alongside places to sit, socialise and watch tennis.

The design is equipped for maximising the modest footprint, while keeping the courts central to the proposal. Internal spaces are closely connected to the outside, creating a clubhouse that feels like a natural extension of the courts rather than a separate entity. Muted blue-stained timber would be used to clad the exterior, a nod to a vintage tennis colour palette, while solar panels on the roof would enhance the pavilions overall green credentials.

The feasibility study is an important first step towards giving Romsey & Abbey Tennis Club a permanent home and supporting its continued growth within the local community.