The Elephant Building

The main building of the leisure complex was opened in 1966, providing Coventry with the region's only Olympic-size swimming pool with seating for spectators, making it a focal point for swimming in the West Midlands. A ring road around Coventry was completed in 1972, leaving a small area of land either side of Cox Street at the end of the Coventry Baths building. The city architect's department designed a building to straddle the road, and construction started on the zinc-coated Elephant building in 1974. After construction finished in 1976, the building was opened in 1977. The main building was Grade II listed in 1997, but the Elephant itself is not listed.

The building is designed to look like an elephant in reference to the coat of arms of the city of Coventry, which shows Coventry Castle being carried on the back of an elephant. Elephants are a popular motif in the civic life of Coventry, appearing on the logo of Coventry City F.C. and Coventry R.F.C. as well as the badge of HMS Coventry.