Tennis in an English Garden

Reimagining the Elmwood Lawn Tennis Club Pavilion

Just a few streets from our Lexi Cinema project in Kensal Rise, tucked behind hedgerows and family homes, Elmwood Lawn Tennis Club has quietly served its community for over 70 years. It’s not just a tennis club—it’s a gathering place. A place where the rhythm of the seasons is measured in rallies, barbecues, and laughter across the courts.

In early 2024, RISE Design Studio was invited to take part in a closed competition to design the new clubhouse—a rare opportunity to blend architectural storytelling with community purpose. The club’s ambitions were clear: they didn’t want a statement piece. They wanted something that felt rooted, practical, and timeless. A pavilion that embodied the club’s ethos—modest, generous, and always welcoming.

The proposed new clubhouse at Elmwood Lawn Tennis Club creates a welcoming, low-energy social hub that blends seamlessly with its green surroundings.

A clubhouse that belongs

The existing 1940s building, though cherished, had grown tired and no longer met the needs of today’s members. From accessibility and comfort to energy performance and flexibility of use, the clubhouse needed a thoughtful transformation—not just an aesthetic refresh.

Our design took cues from what was already there: the simple gable rooflines, the vaulted forms of the substation, and the rhythm of exposed steel trusses. These elements were reinterpreted to create a new pavilion that looks as though it’s always been part of the garden—a space that feels at once familiar and forward-looking.

Designing for the brief—and for the future

The new clubhouse is designed around people. At its heart is a generous, flexible club room for 60–100 guests, opening out onto a south-facing terrace. Here, large openings blur the line between indoors and outdoors, while concertina partitions offer the ability to divide the space for different uses—coaching workshops, club meetings, or simply a quiet corner to watch Wimbledon unfold on the big screen.

An indoor/outdoor café and licensed bar anchor the social heart of the club. A simple domestic-style kitchen supports light food preparation for events, with practical circulation and access for hosting everything from match teas to evening fundraisers.

Other internal spaces include:

• Generous changing rooms with wet and dry areas, showers (3 per gender), and toilets

• An accessible WC (with the option of an integrated shower)

• Dedicated admin/meeting space—or additional flexible zones that can be subdivided as needed

• Secure storage for equipment, furniture, and club essentials

• A pro area for racquet stringing and kit sales

• A cleaner’s store and waste recycling zone

We also integrated modern services discreetly throughout the scheme. The entire building benefits from WiFi connectivity, AV provision for projection and sports viewing, and zoned access control—allowing the club to manage spaces between members and public events with ease.

A garden to gather in

The clubhouse doesn’t stop at the threshold. Outdoor spaces were just as important to the brief—and have been designed to feel like a natural extension of the built form.

To the front, new seating areas invite informal gatherings and social tennis mingling. Covered zones offer year-round protection from the elements, complemented by outdoor heating for those long summer evenings that turn into crisp autumn nights. The brief’s playful spirit comes alive here—with a built-in BBQ and outdoor pizza oven, fold-away table tennis, and a fixed hitting wall for impromptu training.

New landscaping connects the building to its leafy context, while a safe play area for under-5s allows families to relax and enjoy the space together. Cycle storage and tool sheds are carefully integrated into the design, providing discreet but essential support to the life of the club.

Sustainability is non-negotiable

At RISE, low-energy, low-carbon thinking is not an add-on—it’s our foundation. From the outset, the Elmwood pavilion was conceived as a sustainable community asset.

Key features include:

• High-performance insulation and airtight detailing

• Solar panels integrated into the pitched roof

• Low-energy heating via air-source heat pumps

• Water-saving fixtures across all WCs and kitchens

• Passive solar gain and cross ventilation strategies

• Responsibly sourced materials with low embodied carbon

This isn’t about box-ticking. It’s about future-proofing a club that will serve the community for decades to come, keeping bills low and comfort high.

More than a clubhouse

Elmwood Lawn Tennis Club is more than sport. It’s shared purpose, collective joy, and the quiet rituals of a neighbourhood club. It’s where a parent watches their child serve for the first time. Where members celebrate birthdays, finals, and friendships under one roof.

Our proposal honours that. It’s not an architectural spectacle—it’s a carefully crafted invitation to gather, play, and belong.

Building for the future

At RISE, we believe that designing a community space isn’t about making a bold mark—it’s about listening deeply and responding with humility. The new Elmwood clubhouse is designed to grow old gracefully, to stand quietly in the landscape, and to serve its community with purpose and care.

→ Thinking of upgrading your community space? Let’s design something that lifts your people and lightens your footprint.
→ Email us at architects@risedesignstudio.co.uk
→ Or call the studio on 020 3947 5886

RISE Design Studio Architects, Interior Designers + Sustainability Experts
Company Reg. No: 08129708 | VAT No: GB158316403
© RISE Design Studio. Trading since 2011.