INTERNATIONAL

POOL CASE STUDIES

A
 Use the knowledge of our
worldwide network!

a r
s Casp
ny m u
H ie ro
© IA K S –

i n i n g ?
a re y ou jo
W hen s . s p o r t
. i a k
B
www
Introduction

DEAR READERS,

The global popularity of swimming and water-­ represent the diversity of a country’s swim-
based leisure has evolved significantly over ming pool design culture in a single project,
the last two centuries. As demand for these we feel it is helpful to explore the underlying
amenities grows, we have seen similarities in characteristics of each respective market.
the way pools are designed and operated.
Yet, there are considerable differences in the Thoughtful planning is key to maximizing
way people enjoy and interact with the water. the positive impact of aquatics projects. Too
With this diversity, we have seen innovation frequently, projects fail to achieve their full
and variation in the approach to the design of potential due to inadequate processes dur-
public pools. ing design and delivery. As a preface to the
case studies, we will discuss some of the most
As the pool industry (as for all sports and common challenges, and share planning tools
leisure facilities) is a nationally oriented
­ to effectively guide a project from idea to
­industry the IAKS pool expert circle seeks to completion.
foster the exchange of international best prac-
tices. We believe we have much to learn from, We have written this paper for facility ­owners
and share with, each other. In this paper, we and others who plan to design and build a
will present real-life aquatics facilities from new swimming pool in their local ­community.
various countries – one that is either typical We hope you find this resource both use-
of the country or a prime example of emerg- ful and ­inspiring as you consider your future
ing best practice. And while it is impossible to swimming pool needs.

Imprint
Published by Authors from the IAKS pool expert circle
IAKS Australia – Warren Green
International Association for Austria – Haymo Huber
Sports and Leisure Facilities Canada – Darryl Condon
Eupener Straße 70 Denmark – Jakob Færch
50933 Cologne Germany – Christian Kuhn
Germany Ireland – Padraig Byrne
Phone +49 (0) 221 16 80 23- 0 Norway – Bjørn Aas
Spain – Ruth Pujol Blume
[email protected] Switzerland – Stefan Kannewischer
www.iaks.sport United Kingdom – Mike Hall
1
CONTENT
Introduction......................................................................................... 1
Darryl Condon

Successful projects through effective

project planning................................................................................ 3
Dr Stefan Kannewischer and Darryl Condon

Definitions............................................................................................. 9

POOL CASE STUDIES

Australia. . ............................................................................................. 10
Cockburn ARC

Austria. . ................................................................................................. 14
Outdoor pool in Andorf

Canada.................................................................................................. 16
Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre

Denmark.. ............................................................................................. 20
Ringkøbing Leisure Pool

Germany #1........................................................................................ 22
Emser Therme

Germany #2........................................................................................ 26
Cabrio Senden, das Bad

Ireland................................................................................................... 30
Aura Trim Leisure Centre

Norway................................................................................................. 34
Sørlandsbadet

Spain...................................................................................................... 38
Lloret de Mar Municipal Swimming Pool

Switzerland........................................................................................ 42
OVAVERVA Pool, Spa & Sports Centre

United Kingdom.............................................................................. 44
Hebburn Central

2
 SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS
THROUGH EFFECTIVE
PROJECT PLANNING
Authors Dr Stefan Kannewischer and Darryl Condon

Sports facilities – sports halls, outdoor recreation, artificial ice rinks, swimming pools and the like – are highly
complex and have costly ongoing operational requirements. Over a facility’s lifetime, operating costs exceed
the construction costs by a wide margin; this makes careful planning crucial to ensure the facility meets the
needs of both users and the operator. While architectural design and experiential quality are key components
of success, they must ensure ‘design follows function’.

Across the world, ownership models and project delivery The most important and longest phase in the life of a
processes vary considerably. In many countries, convention- sports facility is its operation. In the regular course of its
al sports facilities are funded and owned by the public, or life, minor upgrades and facelifts will need to be under-
initiated and controlled by the public sector. The construc- taken and anticipating this needs to be part of the early
tion or retrofit of public buildings occurs infrequently, some- pre-planning work as well.
times only once every few decades. Therefore, it is common
that decision makers have minimal experience when deliv- Pre-design / concept stage has the highest potential
ering these complex public projects for the first time. Un- for economic impacts
fortunately, this can mean projects are incorrectly tackled Failing to implement an effective strategy with clear pro-
or mismanaged. As such, it is essential to involve specialists ject goals can be costly over the life of a project. There-
to appropriately plan all stages of the project – from the fore, the ability to determine the future success of the
pre-planning (or concept) stage through to operation. project – including the level of required ongoing financial
investment – is at its greatest during the pre-design or
This article presents an overview of an effective and concept stage.
goal-driven project process. It outlines the key project
stages as shown in the below diagram, as well as the ac- Define the social, economic, environmental, and other
tivities that must occur during each of these stages for a goals for the project. Why is a sports and leisure facil-
project to meet its full potential. ity being built? What should it achieve? How will you
­measure success?
Before beginning the design process of a new facility, it
is important to precisely define the type of sports facility Having a clear vision will help guide future decisions and
needed. This early decision-making and project scope defi- ensure the project team does not lose sight of its goals.
nition during the concept stage are critical for long-term This initial discovery phase provides the largest window
success. of opportunity to maximize positive outcomes. Allocating
adequate time and resources allows the project team to
For projects that involve modernisation or replacement of explore challenges and opportunities in depth; changes
an existing facility, a common mistake is to assume that are less costly, since major costs and design decisions have
future requirements will be the same as current amenities yet to be committed.
and services. Renewal projects require analysis, akin to
what is needed for a completely new project. This analysis Often, projects are triggered by the poor condition and
must consider the evolution of usage, changing public de- high costs of operating an existing facility. It is critical in
mand, and technical requirements. these cases as well, that the purpose of the renewed facil-
ity should be clearly understood. Usage trends, latest best
Next, a complete project team is assembled during the pro- practices, and evolving community expectations should
ject initiation stage. Invite collaborative minds to the table. also be considered.
Every project requires a mix of unique expertise and expe-
rience, so choosing the right project team is a crucial part A feasibility study is one of the key tools to establishing
of the process. Once a team is in place, detailed planning early and strong momentum for sports facility projects.
and design can begin, followed by the construction phase. These studies are intended to generate the necessary
3
 i­nformation for all involved and provide a basic structure needs of those who will use the facility, those who will
or “project manual” to reach project completion. be affected during its construction, and those who are
typically excluded from these conversations. This en-
It is common for owners to skip the feasibility study to try gagement will help define the facility’s functional pro-
to cut costs – despite these costs being minute in relation gramming, integrate specific social goals, build public
to the overall investment sum. However, these perceived support for the investment of public funds, and ensure
savings are short-sighted and have long-term implications; the facility serves its community for generations to
without a feasibility study, projects run the risk of wasting come.
much more on the investment – especially when program-
ming needs are misaligned or the building is unnecessarily • Sometimes, we are faced with the question of whether
costly to operate. it makes more sense to upgrade or modernise a facility,
or replace it entirely. Here, a condition analysis can help
A feasibility study should include the following define the building’s current structural, technical, and
elements: business management situations.

• Market analysis highlights general demand trends, iden- • A location study, meanwhile, can help define the site
tifies specific market potential (local population, tour- and orientation for a new sports facility. Here a variety
ists, schools, clubs), and investigates the competitive of questions are explored, including whether the project
situation in the market. is to be realised on an existing developed, brown-field
or green-field site, and which location will best respond
Social outcomes, such as accessibility and inclusion, to community needs.
have become important goals for public leisure facilities.
As such, decision-making processes increasingly involve Based on these analyses, a central project idea should
all stakeholders and the public from the earliest stages emerge (for example: ‘health and wellness for older
of a project. adults’, ‘fun for families in the region’, or ‘a destination
pool for competitive swimmers’). The project idea outlines
This is achieved through ongoing public engagement the facility’s basic purpose and agreed-upon priorities; it
and consultation, stakeholder involvement, and social differentiates the envisaged project from other existing
media and communication campaigns. Listen to the sports infrastructure.
4
This project idea also captures target groups and their Project initiation stage: assembling the right team
needs. If a higher-order sports facility strategic plan al- Due to both the complexity of sports facilities and their
ready exists for the municipality or region, it should con- considerable financing needs, the initiation stage can be a
tribute to the project vision. At this stage, it is also im- major hurdle. Owners and teams often underestimate the
portant to determine the operational cost goals for the time required to give their project lift.
facility, including how financial goals align with its ability
to meet basic community needs. Key considerations during initiation are as follows:

The range of services roughly defines the main activities Traditionally, the local authority’s construction depart-
and amenities offered. For a swimming pool, we would ment has almost always been responsible for realising a
define the pools and bathing opportunities, and consider project, in their role as the client (governed by contracts
emerging facility usage trends (as well as how these trends with private designers and construction companies). Once
might change to respond to evolving needs in the future). complete, the facility is typically run by a local recreation
or sports department, school board, or other user group.
The facility’s functionality is expressed by outlining the
processes for the user (through routing), and processes Today, however, other responsibility / ownership project
for facility operation (through organisational diagrams). At ­delivery models are often sought. As a basic rule, the larg-
this stage, the team should include specialists who have er and more specialised or commercial a sports facility, the
operational expertise to ensure these considerations are more it is advisable to involve the commercial sector. There
appropriately integrated. are a variety of models including combinations of opera-
tion by a commercial operator and integration of design re-
To arrive at accurate dimensioning of functional needs, sponsibility within a design-build construction contract. In
facility use must generally be quantified. This helps an- certain cases, these can even extend to funding by ­private
swer questions like: ‘How many users will use the sports financiers.
facility in a typical year?’, ‘how many at any one time in
which areas?’, or ‘how many parking spaces should we Funding by private financiers (often envisaged as public-­
accommodate?’ private partnerships (PPPs) encompassing design, construc-
tion, and operation) is only possible and advisable in spe-
One of the valuable findings of a feasibility study is the cific cases. Therefore, early in the process, it is important
detailed allocation of rooms and spaces. This informs to investigate the availability of funding grants from higher
much of the future design of each room, outlining size levels of government and others. However, the main or en-
and function, and identifying any specific or unique tech- tire burden of financing usually lies with the local authority.
nical requirements. To protect the public from facilities that cannot be effec-
tively operated, the local authority’s financial requirements
Based on the allocation of rooms and spaces, it is then should be examined.
possible to prepare a preliminary assessment of anticipat-
ed project costs, including both hard construction and ad- Project structure and organisation for building construc-
ditional equipment and project management costs. tion processes varies considerably from region to region
and country to country. Having an effective structure – in-
Given the preliminary nature of the information at this cluding clarity on roles – is easily overlooked. Delivering
stage, this cost estimate is typically prepared using con- successful projects requires clear roles, where all parties
struction cost unit rates (e.g. cost per cubic metre of en- feel invested in impactful project outcomes.
closed space or cost per square metre of floor space). If
this analysis results in an excessively-high anticipated cost, When project team roles are clearly defined:
the project would need either to be redefined, or seek • the client and the operator are responsible for com-
more efficient solutions before planning and re-planning municating the content needs of the sports facility;
costs are generated. • the architect and associated specialist consultants are
responsible for the design of the building (interior and
Once the project concept has been developed, a realistic exterior) as well as its specialised systems;
operating cost forecast must be conducted. Together with • if the services of an additional project manager are
the estimated investment costs, this forms the basis for ­required, they are generally responsible for assisting
decisions on financing, mode of operation, and the poten- the owner with the process and usually for monitoring
tial need for ongoing operating subsidies. budgets and deadlines.

Feasibility study and concept development are comprehen- Too often, roles are blurred, and unique expertise is not
sive and interdisciplinary undertakings, essential for the respected. This can lead to loss of process efficiency and
success of subsequent project stages. If this work is not poor decision making.
carried out in advance, it will be performed concurrently
with design processes at a later stage of the project. How- Today, a large proportion of the building design service
ever, the advantage of doing this early on is that it provides contracts awarded by the public sector are subject to com-
a strong foundation for future stages, and helps ensure petitive request for proposal (RFP) and/or tendering pro-
smooth and timely progress that optimises project costs. cedures. The benefits of these processes are undisputed,
5
 but they also can be the cause of a number of problems Detailed planning: effective and ongoing dialogue
if poorly run. At the outset of the detailed planning stage, sufficient
time must be allocated for development of the prelimi-
It is best practice to select a design team based on their nary design (or revisions of the competition design). This
experience and quality. While fee structure is important, a process involves ongoing dialogue between operational
lowest-fee approach discounts the critical importance of specialists and the architect over several weeks or months.
experience with complex building types, and can result in The aim here is project optimisation; ensuring the initial
future challenges and costly overruns if the team is inex- goals and programming requirements specified during the
perienced. Municipalities and clients should take this into concept stage find expression in the project’s form and
account when designing consultant selection procedures function.
and developing RFPs.
As the project proceeds, potential conflicts between var-
If an architecture competition is held, the operational and ious goals (financial, structural, technical, aesthetic, op-
functional issues should be given as much attention in the erational) must be communicated as soon as they crop
preliminary review and jury evaluation as aesthetic attrib- up. Bringing these items to the team’s attention early will
utes. In reviewing the designs, it is absolutely essential to improve the chances of finding an optimal solution for all
include experienced specialists who are experts in the de- involved.
sign of the specific sports facility type.
While careful attention to the project budget is needed
Finally, a realistic project schedule should be developed throughout the process, savings-oriented changes are
that identifies all stages of the process, from concept most beneficial at the start of the project. As project piec-
through to the opening of the facility and beyond. If the es fall into place, the ability to realise savings later in the
schedule is unrealistic, there is a tendency to cut corners process are limited to smaller and smaller elements of the
during design and construction. Early and effective sched- work, such as interior design or equipment. This should
ule management avoids these pitfalls. be avoided.

The specific construction delivery method should be de- Consideration should be given – even at this early stage
termined during the initiation stage. This should include – to flexibility and expansion. Anticipating future changes
the nature of the contract you hold with the contractor(s), can result in significant long-term cost savings.
and detail a shared understanding of where the opportu-
nities and risks lie. As a fundamental rule, designers with no or little sports
facility experience will need more expert support for good
Once the project is placed on a solid foundation at the pro- results. Extra time must be allowed for this. Furthermore,
ject initiation stage, detailed planning can, at last, begin. construction approvals and permits are increasingly compli-
6
cated; additional time needs to be allocated for these pro- may not be fully functional after opening, and in some
cesses to be completed before construction can commence. cases, users and the client will initially be disappointed.
Identify and remedy as many defects and issues before
Construction: site management keeps everything opening as possible.
under control
As a rule, the greater the deadline pressure, the more chal- Operational stage: alignment of financial goals
lenging it is to achieve good prices – therefore, sufficient The growing complexity and pace of change in society
time should be allocated for invitations for tenders and ne- – and subsequently the world of sport facility operation –
gotiations prior to breaking ground, to allow an appropri- calls for increasingly sophisticated, professional, and mar-
ate construction contract to be put into place. ket-driven management. Regardless of a building owner’s
financial objectives, sports facilities should welcome as
There are several types of project construction delivery many users as possible to optimise utilisation and increase
methodologies, which vary considerably by country and positive social impact.
region. Local market conditions will typically inform the
ideal approach for each project – however, with any meth- It is through effective operations that health and social
odology, it is crucial to ensure those constructing the pro- policy goals are truly achieved. This aligns with current
ject have appropriate expertise. Building owners are best best practice, which recommends that separate facilities
served by maintaining a high level of control of the mate- should not be built for each sport, but rather, they should
rials, systems, and products used in the facility’s construc- be integrated and used for many different sports and ac-
tion. tivities with long opening hours. Bringing a variety of uses
and users together has significant impact on the efficiency
When awarding an aquatic contract, top of mind should of facility operations.
be the specialised nature of sports facilities. Construction
must meet exacting requirements, including higher stand- Depending on the project, pre-opening management
ards of quality and material specification. Omissions or activities should begin roughly six to 12 months before
substitutions can lead to costly problems down the road. opening. The intensity of pre-opening management for
an upgraded or modernised facility will greatly differ from
Good site management is also essential to maintain the re- that for a new facility. This includes tasks like the com-
quired building quality, effective cost of construction, and missioning of systems, staff training, and operations trials.
compliance with deadlines. For the latter, site management
must always keep an eye on the critical path. Effective monitoring of facility operations, such as ener-
gy use, water use, and air and water quality are critical
Finally, sufficient time must be allowed for commissioning, to long-term success. While monitoring methods must
trial operation, and fine-tuning. Without this, the facility be identified and integrated during the detailed planning
7
 stage, these decisions have the greatest impact during There is no one correct approach – although it is criti-
operation. Through ongoing monitoring and fine-tuning, cal that admission and rental fees are aligned with the
owners can optimise building performance. overall objectives. Lack of clarity on financial performance
expectations leads to many challenges, and can result in
When it comes to associated maintenance and operation- facilities seen as being inappropriate for a community’s
al costs, sports facility management should concentrate needs (or too large a financial burden after only a few
on the biggest ticket items: staffing costs, energy/water/ years). It is critical that all facility stakeholders are aware
sewage costs, regular ongoing maintenance, as well as of the operational objectives and that users are charged
life-cycle upgrades for long-term efficiency. appropriate fees.
The most significant potential for deficit reduction is usu-
ally found on the revenue side. This is an area where ex- Furthermore, an appropriate sports promotion budget is
pectations vary significantly from region to region and typically a critical component of success. Regardless of
country to country. In some locations, positive cash flow is the operational philosophy and financial expectations,
essential; and in others, these types of facilities are consid- all public facilities benefit from professional operations,
ered a social service requiring ongoing subsidy. transparency, and efficiency.

CONCLUSION: KEYS TO SUCCESS AT EVERY STAGE OF THE PROJECT

It cannot be overstated that sports facilities are highly 4. Operating stage

complex, with sophisticated operations and associated At this stage – which is by far the longest – the best-­
costs that far exceed construction costs over the project’s possible operating result can be achieved with p
­ rofessional
lifecycle. It is therefore important to be aware of key as- and energetic management.
pects of success at each stage of the project:
In summary, it can be said that getting the multitude of
1. Pre-planning / Concept stage necessary steps correct (and in the right order) boosts the
At this stage, it is important to match the service offer- chances of a sport facility project’s success, yields better
ing against actual demand, and define good functionality. results, saves a good deal of time and money, and en-
This is done with the aid of a feasibility study. sures local communities’ needs are met for generations
to come.
2. Project initiation stage
Putting together the right team (with appropriate skills There is unfortunately no quick or simple way to deliver
and experience) boosts the chances of a project’s suc- sports and leisure facility projects – even if it is tempting
cess considerably. Sound financing is also an important to take a short cut. These projects are highly specialised
­element at this stage. and complex building types and, as a result, success re-
quires a thoughtful process implemented by experienced
3. Planning and construction stage experts. A strong start and thorough planning will help
The primary objective here is to create an attractive build- ensure long-term success and many years of happy users.
ing with high-quality construction methods and technol-
ogy, that also anticipates and responds to current and
­future needs of the local community.
8
DEFINITIONS
Swimming pools come in all shapes and sizes – from with minimal infrastructure. Natural pools are sometimes
open-water bathing sites to high-performance compe- built in combination with an outdoor and/or indoor swim-
tition venues. For many years, both indoor and outdoor ming pools.
swimming pools have followed a similar pattern of lap
pools with related support facilities. More recently, how- The following table summarizes the most common types
ever, the variety of swimming pool facility types has dra- of swimming pools built in recent years. It is impossible in
matically increased. This section helps clarify the most a document of this nature to demonstrate all the various
common contemporary swimming pool types. possible types. However, the ten case studies contained
in this paper demonstrate a wide range of possibilities, as
While river, lake, or beach baths are not technically swim- indicated in the table for reference.
ming pools, they can be defined as natural bathing sites

COMBINED INDOOR +
INDOOR POOL OUTDOOR POOL
OUTDOOR POOL

COMPETITION POOL Spain

Canada Australia
LEISURE POOL Denmark Germany #2 Austria
UK Norway

FUN POOL / WATERPARK

THERMAL POOL / SPA Switzerland Germany #1

In the past, it was much easier to clearly distinguish between differing pool types, as there were only three basic types:
competition, waterpark, and thermal pools. Due to the increasing shift towards leisure-focused programming, and a
­resulting need for a broader offering of facility amenities, a convergence of the individual pool types has taken place.

Currently, the four main pool types can be described as follows:

Competition pool
Use is focused on the public, schools, and sports clubs. They have pool dimensions and water depths oriented to swim-
ming federation rules. They have no additional recreational facilities.

Leisure pool
These facilities are also used by the public, schools, and sports clubs, but in addition to competitively-focused pool tanks,
they have additional leisure-oriented pools. As a result, they are a hybrid facility, blending sports and recreational pools.

Waterpark / Fun pool

These facilities do not include fitness or sport swimming uses. As a result, they do not need to comply with swimming fed-
eration rules and have exclusively a wide range of bathing facilities for recreational enjoyment, including such attractions
as waterslides and wave pools.

Thermal pool / spa

These facilities were historically used for regeneration, therapy, and rehabilitation, but due to recent health and wellness
trends, they have increased recreational value. In addition to special types of pools and waters, they often have supple-
mentary treatment facilities.

9
 AUSTRALIA – COCKBURN ARC
LARGE-SCALE, DIVERSE MULTI-PURPOSE FACILITY FOR ALL-YEAR-ROUND USE

Contact: Warren Green, Email: [email protected], Mobile: +61 417 306 452
Photos Cockburn ARC Photos

Cockburn ARC is located 20km south of Perth. With a building footprint of 17,000m², it is the largest aquatic
and recreation centre in Western Australia and one of the largest in Australia. The Centre opened in May 2017
and with more than 1.4m visits per annum it is delivering on the mission of “More People, More Active, More
Often.”

Cockburn ARC was built to replace an old local aquatic Description of facilities
and leisure facility. The vision was to service the needs of Cockburn ARC major facilities include:
the growing community and also other major groups. The • An outdoor 8-lane 50m heated pool and an indoor
Centre consists of 8-lane 25m heated pool
• Leisure water playground and three major water slides
1) Community facilities including extensive aquatic and dry • Wellness services with a hydrotherapy pool, steam room,
areas. spa / sauna and an allied health centre
2) An elite-level training facility for the Fremantle Football • Gymnasium and group fitness studios
Club (an Australian Rules Football team playing in the • Six-court sports stadium
national competition). • Other community areas: crèche, café, function and
3) Facilities for Curtin University. ­multi-purpose meeting rooms and an indoor play centre
• Specialist facilities: educational spaces, 140-seat lecture
The total project cost was $109m. This was funded theatre, multimedia studio, altitude and heat training
through the partnership arrangement involving local, state rooms and hot and cold recovery pools
and federal government, the Fremantle Football Club and • Australian Football League standard oval and a commu-
Curtin University. A summary of the funding mix is: City nity oval
of Cockburn: $72.85m, Fremantle Football Club: $12.75m, • Car parking bays for up to 600 cars
state government: $12.4m, federal government: $10m and
Curtin University: $1m.
10
Specialities of the country and the pool Cockburn ARC design principles
Swimming in Australia has evolved from beach and ocean The Cockburn ARC consists of community facilities, elite
pools in the early 1900s, outdoor pools in the 1950s, in- sport and educational facilities to establish a new nation-
door facilities in the 1980s and large scale multi-purpose al benchmark. By embracing an integrated facility model,
facilities in the 1990s. Cockburn ARC is one of the larg- the City of Cockburn, Fremantle Football Club and Curtin
est multi-purpose facilities in Australia offering a diverse University have made a strong commitment to deliver a
range of facilities, programmes and services. These fa- vision of innovation.
cilities provide a range of opportunities for people of all
abilities and ages. Carefully considered planning allows community access to
parts of the football club’s facilities, and the football club’s
There are approximately 20 facilities in Australia that players and staff have access to community facilities. As
have in excess of 1M visits per annum. These centres are a consequence, the whole is far greater than the sum of
mainly local-government-owned and -funded. They are its parts.
managed either by the local government or a manage-
ment group. Australia has about five major management The design concept is founded in the history of the area.
groups and they have strong expertise in programme and For thousands of years, the Beeliar network of water-holes
service provision, which is a major focus in the delivery has been a gathering place for Aboriginal (indigenous)
model. groups. This has played an important role in forming the
local area culture. It was these factors that formed the
Australian facilities are mainly designed by a handful of basis for the design of the facility.
specialist architects who have refined designs to meet
local community needs. There has been a move to leisure Drawing from the wetland, the design includes changes
and wellness facilities but a 50m pool still remains impor- in level, views, and shelter from the outside weather. The
tant within the political process. form and materials of the building reflect changes between
11
 land and water. The landscaping and use of materials create Conclusion – what makes this facility famous
a soft change between the building and landscape. Cockburn ARC is a unique, large-scale multi-purpose fa-
cility for the community, an elite-level sports club and a
A key design feature is the internal ‘street’ which connects university.
the north and south ends of the site. This allows the public
to interact with all functions of the building from a central It is designed to cater for all abilities and serves as a region-
space. The civic importance of the building is highlighted al facility for the area south of Perth. The Centre provides
by the large and high entry space. This entry area is like a a very diverse range of programmes and services and oper-
public square and is designed as a gathering space for all. ates in profit (excluding a sinking fund).

User numbers total of 10,000 members, which is one of the Water surface area
• Total annual visits – 1.4M ­largest in Australia. 1,600m2
• Aquatic visits – 756K
• Health and fitness visits – 350K The annual income is in excess of $11.5m with Pool water treatment
• Stadium sports courts visits – 280K expenses of less than $10.5m (including mainte- The Chlorinsitu III chlorine system has been installed,
• Elite club visits – 14K nance). The Centre operates in profit excluding the generating an ultra-pure and low-chloride sodium hy-
sinking fund component. pochlorite solution on site. As a result of this system,
Performance overview there is no storage, transport or handling of hazardous
Cockburn ARC is managed by the City of Cockburn Standard admission chemicals.
and this has been an important success factor. • Adult swim – $7.20
• Child swim – $5.20 Energy consumption
A breakdown of use by area in 2019 is as follows: • Spa, sauna and warm water pool – $14.00 • Water – 38,000KL
- 54% of visitors were aquatic users. • Health and wellness membership – $20.50/week • Gas – 6,700GJ
- 25% health and fitness users • Electricity – 3,349,346kwH
- 20% accessing the stadium Investment
- 1% Fremantle Football Club or general users $109 million in 2017 (EUR 65 million) Number of staff
350
The Centre has 6,600 health and fitness members Gross floor area
and 3,400 learn-to-swim members for a combined 37,000m2 Mg chlorine per litre (table A)

12
13
 AUSTRIA – OUTDOOR POOL IN ANDORF
ANYONE CAN SWIM
Contact Haymo Huber Photos hsb

Andorf swimming pool is one of Austria’s typical pools – originally built in 1974 and revitalised in 2019. After
40 years in operation, the wishes of Andorf’s population and other users came true and the facility was over-
hauled. The target of this refurbishment was to upgrade the existing facility and make it more attractive in a
minimum of time.

Description of the facility sonnel and amortisation, most communities in Austria

The facility consists of 4 parts: The medium-sized outdoor (excluding the cities) decided to invest in outdoor pools
pool for swimmers (348 m2), diving pool (148 m2), baby only. The typical facility consists only of an absolute mini-
pool (54 m2) and pool for non-swimmers (291 m2). mum of building infrastructure (generating a minimum of
­construction costs) and the pool’s staff can be used for
Specialities of the country and the pool other tasks in the autumn and winter.
At the beginning of the 1970’s in Austria, there was an
issue of many deaths due to drowning. The government This meant that keeping the pool safe during the winter
decided that every child should learn to swim. Since then, months became an important issue – and so the pool in-
swimming has been an integral part of the school curric- dustry introduced stainless steel as the main construction
ulum. This decision led to huge investment programmes material. To date, almost 90 % of all public-owned out-
in swimming infrastructure, so today nearly every larg- door pools in Austria are made of stainless steel.
er community has its own swimming pool. There are of
course Aquaparks and Olympic pools in Austria as well, In Austria building quality is very high, with the main
but the standard pool in rural areas is outdoor and medi- focus on sustainability. The life-cycle costs (including
um-sized without attractions. ­construction and recycling) are important from the very
beginning of planning. Often the heating for the pool
As publicly owned and operated swimming facilities are water is environment-friendly with solar collectors and
difficult to run economically due to the high cost of per- panels on rooftops.
14
Number of users Water surface area pH between 6.5 and 7.8
between 20,000 and 25,000 per year ~ 841 m2 Free chlorine: min 0.3 mg/l (pH <7.4); 0.5 mg/l (pH >7.4)
Bound chlorine: max 0.3 mg/l
Number of staff Energy consumption Chloride: max. 200 (indoor pool) -350 (outdoor pool) mg/l
3 lifeguards, 2 cleaning staff, Electricity: 85,000 kW/h Trihalomethane: max 100 ng/l
1 person at the cashdesk Water for showers, toilets: ~400m³ Redox potential: min 700 mV
For the pools there is a well that supplies the
Standard adult admission water. Conclusion: what makes this pool outstanding
Adults € 4.00 Refurbishment work started after the swimming season
Children: € 2.00 Pool water treatment in October 2017 – the facility re-opened 8 months later
Families: € 5.00-€ 10.00 Unlike many other countries, Austria has strict in July
laws on water treatment. This law sets the
Investment in EUR following standards for the pool water. The
­ Further pools demonstrating Austria’s way
Cost of refurbishment: ~€ 3.9 million ­system in Andorf consists of sand filters with of doing things:
(€ 1.8 million for pool & water treatment) chlorine. Nenzing, Gröbming, Lech, Zell am See, Wattens

15
 CANADA
GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS AQUATIC CENTRE

Contact Lisa White, Manager, Community and Recreation Services, City of Surrey
Photos Nic Lehoux, Ema Peter
Architects hcma architecture + design, www.hcma.ca Mechanical Engineers AME Group, www.amegroup.ca

Concept + Goal of the Pool Description of the Facility

Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre (GHAC) is an iconic ex- The facility has two public levels with the entry, change
pression of the city of Surrey’s commitment to improving facilities and pool decks at the main level. An upper level
the quality of life for people living and working in one of includes a fitness facility and spectator seating. Most of
Canada’s fastest growing cities. The Grandview Heights the building’s technical systems – including air handling
neighbourhood in particular, is expected to grow rapidly and pool treatment systems – are located in a lower level
over the next decade, and the Aquatic Centre is considered below the pool decks. The facility was designed to provide
the first step in a larger vision for a campus of wellness, ease of vertical movement for staff between the technical
learning, healthy living, and sports excellence in the area. and program levels.
The city’s goal was an iconic destination swimming pool
for families, athletes and high performance sporting events. The main lap pool is a 10 lane, 50m pool that also includes
two 1.5m wide movable bulkheads and a 12.5m x 25m
The design carefully balances the needs of recreational movable floor. A full complement of diving boards and
users with high performance athletics without compro- platforms are accommodated with the main lap pool. The
mising the unique needs of either group. The new facility recreation pool contains a variety of therapeutic, learn to
includes a 50m lap pool with diving platforms designed to swim and family swim functions. It is supplemented by
FINA standards for competitions, a leisure pool, two hot an indoor water slide, two hot pools, sauna and a steam
pools, a sauna, a steam room, a waterslide, a fitness cen- room. The changing facilities adopt a primarily univer-
tre, a poolside café, and seating for up to 900 spectators. sal (mixed gender) model where the changing functions
are within private cubicles and the locker areas commu-
The result is an award-winning aquatic centre housing nal. This is supplemental by small gender specific change
recreational and world-class pool facilities beneath the rooms. The facility has been designed as the first phase of
world’s longest span timber catenary roof system. a much larger complex of sport and community facilities.
16
17
 1

6 5 15

7 4
3
8 14

17

11

9
10
18

10
16
12 13

MAIN LEVEL PLAN A

1 Lobby 10 Hot Tub

2 Viewing Area 11 Lap Pool
3 Administration 12 Sauna
4 Cafe Specialties of the Country and Pool
13 Steam operated facilities have tended towards the recreational
5 Classroom 14 Retractable Seating
6 Universal Change In Canada, most public swimming pools are built and
15 Storage user. This has led to a lack of
0 1competitive-oriented
5 facili-
15m
7 Women’s Change 16 Water Slide
8 Men’s Change operated by local municipal governments. There are a
17 Spring Boards ties. High performance-oriented facilities are less common
9 Leisure Pool 18 Dive Tower
smaller number of facilities built and operated by aca- and not evenly distributed across the country. This results
demic institutions and not-for-profit organizations. Given in a challenging situation for the development of aquatic
Canada’s colder climate most pools are indoor facilities athletes. As the City of Surrey has a network of several
however there are a significant number of public outdoor facilities, they recognized the need to accommodate high-
swimming pools as well. Like most countries the tradi- er performance programs within their system of aquatic
tional pool, regardless of the operator, was a rectangular facilities. The Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre was de-
tank of relatively cold water primarily for lap swimming signed to meet a mixture of needs for community-orient-
and competitive sport uses. More recently, the municipally ed uses and higher performance activities as well.
18
Conclusion Its usage level is exceedingly high for a facility of this type.
Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre is a comprehensive It successfully meets the needs a diverse and rapidly grow-
municipal facility that address the needs of sport and ing community while provide a focal community facility
community users in a dynamic, light-filled environment. that has become a source of pride in the community.

User Number Investment in Euros d­isinfectant, muriatic acid for pH control, and
Swim lessons and fitness classes: 119,340 €27m ($42m CAD) ­ultraviolet lamps.
Membership pass users: 378,769
General admissions: 218,792 Gross Area Mg of Chlorine/Litre
Total (2018): 716,901 Area: 8,830m2, Volume: 51,400m³ 0.1 to 0.45 mg/L

Number of Staff Water Surface Total Consumption of Heat, ­Electricity, and Water
29 regularly + 10 swim instructors ­during lessons 1,700 m² (kWh/m³)
Heat: 94.5 kWh/m3,
Standard Entry Price Pool Water Treatment System Electricity: 120 kWh/m3
Adult €4.68 ($7.25 CAD) Regenerative DE filters using perlite as the ­filter Water: 52,520.17m3
Child €2.42 ($3.75 CAD) media, sodium hypochlorite as the primary

19
 DENMARK
LEISURE POOL RINGKØBING-SKJERN

Author Anna Rex Wittig Photos Rune Johansen and C.F. Møller Architects
Architects C.F. Møller Architects

Concept + Goal of the Pool Elements of the original swimming pool facility have been
Ringkøbing Leisure Pool, located on the beautiful scenic re-used. The 25-metre pools previously used for swim-
west coast of Denmark, was originally built in 1977. But the ming laps are now used for different types of activities. An
pool was a traditional swimming facility that lacked liveliness ­additional first floor has been built on to as a fitness and
and activities. It was in desperate need of renovation and no relaxation centre.
longer met the community’s needs. A significant moderni-
sation of the facility was therefore put into action, with the Description of the facility
aim of creating an aquatic centre for the whole community. The facility is divided into two levels. The ground floor has a
All kinds of activities were added to the programme, includ- 25-metre pool with 5 lanes, a water obstacle course and a
ing recreational swimming and exercise classes, swimming diving pool with a 4-metre board for diving and play. It also
classes, life-saving and water sports safety, wellness and features a climbing wall, and the pools are set out for water
winter bathing. polo and underwater rugby. The heated pool has massage
jets and is ideal for rehabilitation, relaxation, and for swim-
Ringkøbing Leisure Pool is now a modern swimming pool ming for people with disabilities and infants. A cave with
with new, exciting activities in a recreational and social set- coloured lights and bubbles sets the scene for social activi-
ting. Children, youth, adults and people with disabilities can ties on the ground floor, which also has changing rooms and
all be part of the facility’s aquatic culture, and self-organised two saunas. The first floor is equipped with a large activity
swimming now runs alongside club-based activities. The room and gym with views of Ringkøbing Fjord.The facility
­facility is also a popular tourist destination. has been redesigned in close consultation with local com-
munity members.
Architecturally, the leisure pool is designed for direct access
to Ringkøbing Fjord and West Jutland’s coastal nature right Specialities of the country and the pool
outside. There are views of the sea from all parts of the facil- Denmark has close to 400 public swimming facilities and
ity. Swimmers can bathe in the saltwater and warm up in the swimming is the most popular activity among Danish chil-
sauna afterwards whilst enjoying the view out to the coast. dren aged 7-15 years. For adults, swimming is a top-5
20
a­ ctivity and many Danes go to their local pool to swim, to explore. Work is being done in Denmark to improve the
play, unwind with wellness activities, exercise and play indoor climate and energy use of indoor facilities to ensure
water sports. they can be run in a sustainable way in the future, as they
are currently expensive and technically difficult to maintain.
Swimming appeals to a broad public across age groups,
gender, educational and ethnic backgrounds, but many fa- Conclusion: what makes this facility outstanding
cilities built in the 1960s and 1990s are in need of renova- This facility is an example of how a classic swimming facility
tion and modernisation in order to meet their needs. The can expand to encompass a range of activities by modern-
sea and water safety play a significant role in Denmark, and ising its existing offering. It has become a recreational at-
there is a lot of interest in winter bathing, open water swim- traction in the local community as a wellness centre close
ming and other outdoor activities. This demands a rethink- to nature with a host of water activities, play, relaxation and
ing of indoor swimming pools, but there is great potential training options.

Number of users Floor area Energy consumption

Between 40,000 and 45,000 visitors per year. More First floor area 280 m² Heat: 507,750 kWh/ m³
than 20 % increase in visitors after modernisation. Total area 2,216 m² Electricity: 316,577 kWh/ m³
Water: 7,209 m³
User activities Water surface area
69%: Training, exercise and sport Total area: 400.5 m² The facility has solar panels on the rooftop and a
38%: Bathing and play 25-metre pool: 200 m² (370 m³) ­recycling system for the heat used in the shower
27%: Wellness and relaxation Diving pool: 128 m² (474 m³) area and ventilation system.
19%: Accompanying others Heated pool: 72.5 m² (87 m³)
23%: Are together with others
Pool water treatment
Standard admission pH between 6.8 and 7.6
Adults: € 6.00 Free chlorine between 0.3 mg/l and 1.5 mg/l
Children aged 5-17 years: € 3.40 (und 4 years: free) Bound chlorine: 0.3 mg/l

Investment Number of staff

Total investment: € 4,235,000 Pool staff: 2 persons
Grant by The Danish Foundation of Culture and Lifeguards: 10 persons
Sports Facilities: € 1,345,000 Cleaning staff: 1 person

21
 GERMANY #1
EMSER THERME

Contact Dr Stefan Kannewischer, Managing Director, [email protected], www.emser-therme.de

Photos David Matthiesen und Emser Therme GmbH
Architects 4a Architekten GmbH, www.4a-architekten.de Technical engineer Kannewischer Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH, www.kannewischer.com

Concept + Goal of the Pool loungers, neck showers etc. The sauna area is also a key
Bad Ems is a historic spa resort that relies mainly on tourism. element with 3 indoor and 3 outdoor sauna cabins. Due
The Emser Therme that opened in 2012 replaces a tradi- to the facility’s location on the river Lahn, one of the out-
tional rehabilitation-oriented thermal pool from the 1960s. door saunas was built as floating structure on the river. The
As health-insurance financed rehabilitation was declining, offering also extends to a wellness (treatment) and fitness
Bad Ems sought a strategy to attract new wellness-oriented area as well as a restaurant and a shop.
and self-paying target groups. The new thermal pool was
intended to initiate a revival of tourism in Bad Ems. One recurrent theme in the design of the baths is the river
pebbles that can also be found along the banks of the river
Today’s wellness guests are interested in a modern, state- Lahn. They find expression in the shaping of the various
of-the-art wellness offering in a high-quality and feel-good building structures, the swimming pools and in the façade
atmosphere. The public sector sought a commercial com- openings. The pebble element is also of central importance
pany to enter this new market and to invest in this new in the mural designs of the interior.
thermal pool as well as operate it.
The volumes of the various building structures are shaped
Description of the facility like a number of of stones that are layered and overlap like
The Emser Therme has a large thermal bathing area with pebbles on a river bank. Located at the centre is the bath-
many different pools and waters (types and temperatures) ing hall – spacious and generously dimensioned, this is the
with a wide variety of water attractions such as bubble largest element. The sauna wing leads from the bathing hall
22
to the west. With their distinctive pebble-like shape, the new pools are replacements for pools unamenable to
two building structures accommodating the dining area modernisation.
and the shop slide into the overall volume of the bathing
hall. Particularly eye-catching are the pebble-shaped sec- In their pool strategy, the Germans tend to focus on func-
tions in the north façade. The asymmetrical apertures give tionalism and feel-good factor, which sometimes results in
the side of the structure facing the town centre a lively a reduced architectural quality. As the construction quality
and cheerful appearance. is high in Germany and the pools contain a wide variety of
offerings, the German pool sector can be regarded as one
Specialities of the country and the pool of the best in the world.
Germany has approximately 3,500 indoor and 3,500 out-
door pools for roughly 83 million inhabitants. Smaller The architectural design of the Emser Therme was execut-
pools in Germany are normally owned and operated by ed from the inside out. It started with the facility’s pro-
the municipalities. Larger leisure pools and thermal pools gramme and functionalism and ended with the building
are also organised in public-private partnerships and oper- envelope. This can often result in an unattractive exteri-
ated by private companies. or design. But in the case of the Emser Therme, all the
requirements have been met: functionalism and design
Many pools were built between the 1960s and 1980s. In (rather than design follows function or vice-versa). The
the last two decades, refurbishment has been the key ac- interior design is not artificially attached to the building’s
tivity in the pool sector as the market is saturated. Most ground structure but develops out of it. This is important
23
 for the success of the facility, as attractive design is impor- have to provide a facility for all. But this has to be planned
tant for relaxation. carefully or else there are conflicts between the target
groups. The Emser Therme is a fine example of a pool
The pool’s energy strategy is highly innovative and where wellness is at the centre of the offering.
eco-friendly. There is more thermal water at 52° ­Celsius
available than needed for the pools. So most of the thermal The Emser Therme has tailor-made functionalism and an
water is used only for heat extraction without actually being attractive design. Operator facilities like pools normally
used in the pools. The remaining heat is produced by a com- achieve better results with an inside-out design process
bined heat and power unit. This strategy cuts fossil energy rather than an outside-in one. Modern design tends often
consumption and carbon emissions by 55 %. to be “cool” whereas the modern design of the Emser
Therme is also cosy. This is important for the comfort and
Two special features – the rain cloud in the centre of the pool relaxation of the guests.
hall and the floating river sauna – called for extra expense
and innovation in the design and construction process. The Emser Therme energy strategy is highly innovative and
cuts fossil energy consumption and carbon emissions by
Conclusion: what makes this pool outstanding? 55 % through efficient use of the geothermal energy of
The Emser Therme is a thermal bath that focuses on well- its thermal waters.
ness-oriented guests of all ages, whereas many pools try
to cover as many needs and target groups as possible. Of It is rare to find the 3 key success factors for pools (offer-
course, many municipalities have only one pool and then ing, functionalism and design) combined in a single pool.
24
User numbers Investment mg chlorine per litre
n.a. € 22.3 M 0.3-0.6 mg / l

Number of staff Gross m² and m² of building including technical area Total consumption of heat, electricity in kWh/m³
85 7,500 m², 35,500 m³ and total water consumption (2019)
Heat: 105 kWh/m³ (excluding geothermal heat)
Admission Water surface area in m² Electricity: 65 kWh/m³
Adult thermal bath: 770 m² Water: 82,000 m³ p.a.
€ 13 for 2h, € 25 for all-day ticket
Pool water treatment system
Adult thermal bath + sauna: 5 steps: coagulation, sand filtration, ozone, carbon
€ 18 for 2h, € 30 for all-day ticket filter, chlorine desinfection

25
 GERMANY #2
CABRIO SENDEN, DAS BAD

Contact DSBG mbh & Co KG, Dr Christian Kuhn, Managing director, [email protected], www.cabriosenden.de
Photos DSBG
Architects KRIEGER Architekten | Ingenieure, www.architekt-krieger.de

Concept + Goal of the Pool Description of the pool area

Cabrio Senden – das Bad was opened in 2007 as a re- The entire area covers 20,000 m². It is composed of the
placement for a small competition-oriented indoor pool 2,000 m² indoor pool and a roof that can be opened with-
with only about 100 m² of water surface and an outdoor in 7 minutes to create a sense of being outdoors. A further
pool with 2,000 m² of water surface. Since the building 835 m² is available in the outdoor area. Three pools make
was ageing and in need of refurbishment and visitors no up the outdoor area, two of which can be used all year
longer used the huge outdoor area, a new approach had round. There is also an outdoor area with a huge sunbath-
to be found. ing lawn with a fenced-off beach and a beach volleyball
court with an additional beach bar.
The idea behind the new swimming pool was to install
a programme with multifunctional water areas that can One pool can only be used in the summer months. This
be used all year round. The main target group is families, pool has a 1m, 3m and 5m diving tower. Outside there is a
sports swimmers and children up to young teenagers. The brine pool and another pool connected to the indoor pool
aim of the new concept was to increase both public value enabling users to swim out from the indoor pool (usable
and numbers of users. A commercial company was sought all year round).
to accompany the planning and initiation of operation and
later take over the operation of the pool.
26
There are four more pools inside. One of the four is a ed pools, nearly all of which have the same programme
classic 25-metre pool with four lanes. The second is a of water areas and therefore no longer meet user needs.
leisure pool with a lazy river channel. To round off the In addition, they are also costly to run because of age-
indoor programme, users can enjoy a children’s pool, a ing and run-down plant. Many new pools have therefore
whirlpool and an adjoining restaurant. been built in Germany since the early 2000s.

In addition, there is a sauna cabin that is included in the The main focus of indoor pools in Germany is to satisfy
normal admission price and can be used by up to 15 the population’s demand for swimming opportunities.
people in swimwear. User requirements have also changed a great deal over
the last 50 years. Studies, by INSPO (Institut für kommu-
Worth emphasising above all is the fact that the entire nale Sportentwicklungsplanung e.V.) for example, show
area is clearly laid out and yet offers a variety of uses for that about 50-60% of users of family-oriented indoor
parents as well as for sports swimmers and children. pools spend their time there for leisure activities and to
relax, whereas only 25% use indoor pools for competi-
Special features of the country and the pool tive swimming and only the remaining 25% use them for
As the latest studies by “Bäderleben” show, there are organised swimming in clubs.
more than 9,000 pools in use in Germany (including
hotel pools, pools in hospitals and fitness gyms). Thus, the Germans focus above all on a well-designed
concept and fulfil the population’s desire for recreation
Most German pools were built on the basis of the so- in multifunctional bathing landscapes. Germany offers a
called “Golden Plan” during the 1960s and 1970s. This great variety of swimming pools and can be considered
means that today Germany has a large number of outdat- a world leader with its varied indoor swimming pools.
27
 number of visitors cabrio Bad Senden

263306
256124
243345 238874
237445
226755 226937
218015 218929
205048 205544

181903

45318

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

The architectural design of cabrio Senden – das Bad has door and outdoor pools. These two features were key to
always had a specific focus on meeting the needs of its the success of the indoor pool. With a net budget of EUR
users as well as creating a high cost-value ratio. 12.5 million, the municipality has built a leisure facility that
creates high public value.
Therefore, policy-makers and user groups, such as schools,
clubs and the actual everyday users, were consulted at an The pool’s energy concept is highly innovative and envi-
early stage for their opinions on and ideas for a new pool. ronmentally friendly. This is achieved by using well water, a
These ideas were shaped into manageable concepts and combined heat and power plant and water electrolysis for
paired with functional importance, and only then did the water treatment, as well as a combined heat and power
architect begin to design the indoor pool while receiving system with the nearby town hall and Stever Sports Park.
feedback from the consulting operators throughout the
planning and construction process. Conclusion: what makes this pool outstanding?
Cabrio Senden – das Bad is a family pool that perfectly
The product that was developed focuses strongly on the adapts to the needs of its users. It impresses with its high
user groups and the installation of a roof that can be public value and multifunctional use as a flexible year-round
opened at the touch of a button. This type of roof not and outdoor pool with such outstanding features as its out-
only permits a more flexible response to weather condi- door brine pool, clothed sauna included in the admission
tions, but also harmoniously unites the two worlds of in- price, large outdoor beach area and indoor pools, which
28
offer a variety of uses without taking up too much space to facilities that minimise operating costs while conserving
and becoming confusing. natural resources.

The Cabrio Senden has received two awards. These are the Its three success factors are its satisfaction of user require-
Public Value Award presented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft ments, its combination of indoor and outdoor pools under
für das Badewesen (German Association for the Bathing a single movable roof and its extra resource-conserving
Industry) and the Ökoprofit certificate, which is awarded ­energy strategy.

Admission Gross m² and m³ of building including technical area Total consumption of heat, electricity in kWh/m³
Adult ticket: 2h: €4; 4h: €6; all day: €7.50 2,900 m², 21,600 m³ and total water consumption (2019)
Child ticket: 2h: €3.50; 4h; €5; all day: €6.50 Heat: 46.72 kWh/m³
Family ticket (all day): €16 Water surface area in m² Water: 17,380 m³ p.a.
835 m²
Investment Number of staff
€12.5 million net Pool water treatment system 22
(the building was completed in 2007) Water electrolysis system

29
 IRELAND
AURA TRIM LEISURE CENTRE

Contact Padraig Byrne, Group Property Director, [email protected] Photos Aura Holohan Group

Trim Urban District Council built their first public pool in ing village, reception area with customer seating / café
1972, prior to the first ‘oil crises’ of the ‘70s. Just over 30 area, dry male and female changing area and sports hall,
years later (2003), with high energy costs and an ageing two outdoor Astroturf pitches. First floor comprises a fit-
building, the County Council commissioned Holohan Lei- ness gym, exercise studio and offices.
sure in 2003 to examine the feasibility of developing a pub-
licly accessible sports and leisure centre, including a 25m Building composition & orientation
swimming pool, for the town. Built in 2007 - 2008, the building mainframe has steel col-
umns supporting glulam timber beams and an acoustic in-
The Irish Government’s public swimming pool grant pro- sulated cladded roof. The pool hall and front elevation is
gramme was very restrictive at the time, and the only pool east-facing, taking advantage of morning sun.
configuration that qualified for grant assistance was a five-
lane 25m x 10.5m pool. The new pool was opened in 2009, Specialities of the country
at a cost of c.€12m, and has been managed and operated Majority of local authority areas have public facilities of
ever since by Aura Sport & Leisure. varying ages and operating models. Most are operated by
the local authorities and normally require operational sub-
The town of Trim has a population of c.9,000 people, and sidies; a minority (including Trim Leisure Centre) are operat-
the leisure complex has a catchment population of c.30,000 ed under license by professional private operators – some
people living withing a 20-minute drive of the town. receive subsidies and others pay license fees back to the
local authority.
Concept and goal
The facility was seen as a critical part of local social infra- What makes this facility outstanding?
structure, providing inexpensive public access to a swim- Aura Trim Leisure Centre stands out as one of the most
ming pool, gym, small health suite and related facilities for energy-efficient leisure centres in Ireland per m³. The rea-
the people of Trim (population 9,194 – census 2016) and son why it is so efficient can be broken down into three
surrounding villages and rural areas. categories:

Description of facility 1. Architectural layout and materials

Ground floor comprises main pool hall (25m x 10.5m main 2. Mechanical and electrical services
pool, kids pool 10m x 7m), steam room and sauna, chang- 3. Building management and operations
30
Below are the five key takeaways from each category that are d) Plant rooms: There are 3 spacious plant rooms (pool
the main contributors to making Aura Trim Leisure Centre one plant room, boiler house and air handling unit plant
of the most energy-efficient leisure centres in ­Ireland: room) located close to the areas they are serving, which
reduces thermal losses in pipework and ductwork runs.
1. Architectural layout and materials key takeaways All plant rooms are well laid out and very easily main-
a) Architectural zonal layout: The building is divided into tained.
clearly identifiable zones that are separated and can be
easily controlled to their design temperatures without e) Pool hall: Pool halls by nature are usually the biggest
excessive heat loss or mixing of air systems. consumer of energy and source of heat losses in leisure
centres. However Trim pool hall is almost a sealed enve-
b) Reception layout: Although the reception is spacious, lope with a relatively small opening to the changing vil-
the ceiling height is relatively low at 4 m. There is also lage situated quite a distance from the supply air grilles.
a draught lobby, with the reception desk set back suf- As well as having quality glazing and roof structure, the
ficient distance from the automatic doors to prevent entire east elevation glazing is broken up with a sold
draughts. The desired temperature is easily maintained insulated wall structure. This has improved the thermal
in the reception area, which traditionally can be the conductivity of the pool hall without compromising on
source of huge heat loss and wasted energy in leisure natural light.
centres.
2. Mechanical and electrical services key takeaways
c) Building fabric. The roof consists of exposed timber a) Building management system (BMS): The centre has
­glulam beams and purlins with an exposed underside to a very well maintained BMS. As well as controlling all
composite insulated Kingspan roof panels. The internal time schedules, heating and cooling strategies, the sys-
walls separating the changing village and the pool hall tem has a simple summer/winter mode which can be
consist of blockwork walls which have excellent thermal controlled by the click of a button or on the outside
mass properties. temperature.
31
 b) Combined heat and power unit (CHP). The site has a 3. Building management and operations
well-designed (not oversized) CHP unit that runs all key takeaways
year around from 8am to 10pm. The CHP is the prima- a) Energy monitoring: Aura Sport & Leisure installed
ry source of heat and the BMS ensures that the boilers bespoke energy-monitoring software into Trim
are held off while the CHP provides the heat to the Leisure Centre which identifies half hourly usage
building. During the run hours, the CHP provides over of water, electricity and gas in real time. The site
90% of the electrical load to the building. has daily thresholds for different times of the year
that gives an automatic alert if they exceed a given
c) LED lighting: There is LED lighting internally and exter- threshold. This prevents wasted energy and quick-
nally fitted throughout the facility. These lights were ly identifies potential issues on the site that could
not part of the original design and were retrofitted in affect energy which would not otherwise be easily
recent years following an upgrade. noticeable.

d) Air handling units (AHUs) and ductwork: Swimming b) Preventive maintenance: Aura Trim has an excellent
pool AHUs are usually the largest consumers of energy preventive maintenance schedule that is closely
in leisure centres. They would frequently have large air managed. This ensures all plant is working to its op-
distribution ductwork supplying into large air plenums timum level throughout the year.
which run around the perimeter of the pool hall. In
Aura Trim the AHU supply ductwork has a relatively c) Staff training: All staff are trained in the basics of
short run and is fully ducted to linear grilles around energy management, and key staff, including a
the perimeter (no plenum). All ductwork is very well specific site Energy Champion, are trained on en-
insulated and the AHU itself has an energy-efficient ergy-monitoring systems and building management
heat recovery chamber controlled via the BMS. systems.

e) Insulation: Aura Trim has a very high level of quality d) Constant improvement: Through minor investment
insulation in their plantrooms and to all distribution and target setting, the site is constantly improving
pipework and ductwork, which massively reduces any year after year. It sets realistic targets, which keeps
thermal losses. it on top of the ladder compared to other facilities.
32
e) Awareness campaign: Aura Trim run an energy aware- of construction, this building still stands out as one of the
ness campaign which involves not only staff but cus- top energy-performing leisure centres in the country. Elec-
tomers too. This is a fun way of keeping energy effi- tricity consumption at 5kWh/m³ is phenomenal for this
ciency high on the agenda of everyone that uses the type of facility. The operators have made minor energy
facility. investments over the years and continue to strive to lower
their energy consumption each year.
Summary
From our analysis of the Aura Trim Leisure centre, we have By their nature leisure facilities can have lots of wasted
concluded that to have an energy-efficient building does energy. However energy usage in this facility is monitored
not purely depend upon design. A significant portion of and micro-managed on a daily basis. While this approach
the energy efficiency is derived from how the building is resource-intensive, the benefits in terms of reduced en-
itself is operated and maintained. Although technology ergy costs and carbon footprint massively outweigh the
and energy design have greatly improved since the time cost of this constant focus.

Investment in euros Admission Energy usage for 2019

€12million Standard adult entry price Total annual consumption of heat, electricity and
€ 9.00 gym, €8.00 swim, €9.50 gym and swim water consumption in kWh/m³
User numbers (2019) Discounted entry prices are available to Children, • Gas 1,975,356 kWh
• Schools: over 10 local schools attend for swim Youths, Students, and Senior Citizens. • Electricity 108,250 kWh
lessons & gym access • Water 4 million litres per year
• Private swim lessons: over 57,500 Number of staff
• Membership - 930 members (prepaid or DD) 30 Electricity 30 kWh/m²
– use of both pool and gym (good practice as per CIBSE 152 m²/kWh)
• PAYG Pool & Gym – 50,000 PAYG visits in Areas and volumes Gas 546 kWh/m²
addition to membership visits Gross m² including technical areas: 3617m² (good practice as per CIBSE 573 m²/kWh)
Gross m³ of building including technical area:
Annual revenue (2019) 22,740m³ Electricity 5 kWh/m³
€1.3m Water surface area in 346 m² Gas 87 kWh/m³

33
 NORWAY
SØRLANDSBADET

Contact Bjørn Aas Photos Sørlandsbadet

Architects Asplan Viak

Lyngdal is a small town with a long tradition in tourism The facilities

and as the commercial centre of the region. The city is Sørlandsbadet was designed to meet various needs. In a
located in the southernmost part of Norway, where the small place like Lyngdal, it was not possible to create a
climatic conditions are good, from a Norwegian perspec- niche water park concept and target only specific users.
tive. In step with the development of the community and It depended on having a good local and regional founda-
increased demands from both residents and tourists, Lyng- tion and use. At the same time, it had to be attractive for
dal built a cultural centre and a water park in the 2000s. At the tourism sector, specifically in relation to families with
the time, there were no water parks in all of Southern Nor- young children.
way, so it was a considerable attraction in its initial years.
The current facilities consist of three main pools. A com-
The developers had set a requirement that its operation petition pool that meets the needs of school swimming
had to be commercial but that the public sector would and activities, along with diving towers with platforms at
contribute to the realisation and ownership of the facility. heights of one, three and five metres. There is a wave pool
Ensuring a good and regular supply of users was impor- with a counter current channel, which is mostly designed
tant. The municipality had to organise school swimming with children and youth in mind. This pool has a tempera-
at Sørlandsbadet. At the same time, a fitness centre and a ture of 31°C. We have established a wellness area which is
health centre, including physiotherapists who could utilise a quiet zone where the water has a temperature of 34°C.
hydrotherapy, were established. Here, there is both a standard sauna and a steam sauna.
34
 Tegningsnummer:

529859
Rev. Tekst:

00 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

We also have a cold pool with water directly from the Ros- case. Øydna sawmill has delivered all timber materials with
fjord, which is seawater. The pool has spa jets. Outside of five different types of wood panels indoors and beautiful
business hours, this is the therapeutic pool that is used by oak louvres in the pool area. This gives the pool a cosy feel DRIFTSFASE

physiotherapists. We also have a small baby pool close to and good acoustics. Outdoors, most materials are untreat- Prosjekt:

Sørlandsbadet
the wave pool that has a temperature of 31°C. ed wood which blend in with the surrounding nature. The Oppdragsgiver:

Lyngdal kommune

showers and changing rooms were contributed by a local Branntegning

1. etasje

There are two hot tubs, one indoor and one outdoor. enterprise, Fibo, which supplies both the domestic and in- Oppdragsleder:
AM
Oppdragsnr.:
Tegn:
AM
Kontr:

These are always open and have a temperature of 38°C. ternational markets. They supply and replace bathroom
529859 TMT

Tegn. nr:

FB02000
fittings at regular intervals.
Fag Type Etg. Løpenr.

The facility is designed so that it is situated right on the

beachfront on the beautiful Rosfjord. Outdoors, we have Aquatics facilities in Norway
built an artificial pool island and water attractions, as well Norway has approximately 800 aquatics facilities, with
as five outdoor slides. The entire exterior of the facility is just over 1,100 pools in total. Norway has a population of
a large glass wall, where all users can enjoy the view of 5.5 million people, with scattered settlements.
the fjord.
Norwegian aquatics facilities are most often constructed
The fitness centre is located on the second floor and has and designed as combined facilities. This is in part because
a glass wall with an excellent view of both the pool and of the Norwegian funding model. Norway does not have
the fjord. as strong and long a bathing culture as other parts of Eu-
rope. In 2020, the first Norwegian public swimming pool
One component of the funding model was that only local will be 100 years old, and the first seawater pool will be
enterprises would be contracted in the construction pro- 200 years old. Historically, public health and hydrothera-
cess. Therefore, parts of the facility also serve as a show- py were the origins of public swimming pools in Norway.
35
 This was the case up until the mid-1900s. The Norwegian way, and never freezes during the winter. We are the
bathing culture is not as strong as in the rest of Europe, southernmost aquatics facility in Norway, and at the
while the flow of international tourism prioritises nature southernmost tip of Norway. Lindesnes Lighthouse is
experiences when visiting Norway. Norway has not been nearby.
particularly good at commercial, design and adaptation
considerations for the needs of users. These are aspects We use saltwater in our pools. We pump up seawater
where Norwegian owners and operators have room for from a depth of 30 metres in the Rosfjord and blend
improvement. Insufficient focus on commercial operation, this 1:5 with freshwater. We also have our own analy-
or that too many pools are public, means that many pools sis equipment that filters out natural chlorine, which we
remain empty, especially in the Oslo area. then put back into the pool water. The mix of saltwater
and organic chlorine means that the pool water is gen-
When Sørlandsbadet was realised, the private sector led tler and more comfortable for the skin.
the way and set mandatory requirements for the pub-
lic sector. The public sector had to contribute financial- Summary
ly to the realisation of the facility, but the private sector Sørlandsbadet is a small facility. Its advantage is that it
would operate it. In its first ten years, Sørlandsbadet op- is user-friendly for families with young children. This is
erated with a profit. Increased competitiveness in the lei- something the architect and developers have succeed-
sure market and changes in macro conditions rendered ed in ensuring. Families with young children travel great
this challenging to maintain. This period was followed distances to visit, even from places with large aquatic
by two years of deficits, including restructuring and an facilities. Indoors, parents have a good overview, and the
even stronger focus on operations and development. In feedback has been positive.
the challenging year 2020, with COVID-19 and multiple
periods of closure, we are in a good position in terms of We have various activities at the facility. Fitness and
operations and finances. health-related services. This ensures regular and high
volumes of traffic daily. On average, there are 500 users
Sørlandsbadet is located close to the fjord and sea. The daily, but most visits are during weekends and holidays.
Rosfjord is the fjord with the highest salt content in Nor- This allows us to focus on daily operations throughout
36
the year, with a strong focus on competence and skilled ment Goals, especially in relation to energy and water
personnel. consumption, as well as health and quality of life. We
use saltwater in all of our pools, which makes for more
In the last five to seven years, we have placed a consider- comfortable pool water.
able emphasis on energy consumption, and we have re-
duced our consumption by approximately 1.35 M kWh, In addition to our facilities, we have a strong focus on
down from approximately 2 M kWh. We believe there is activities. We have zip lines, water slide competitions, ice
potential for an even greater reduction. We are currently bathing and obstacle courses and also create events to
working on implementing the UN’s Sustainable Develop- increase the attractiveness of Sørlandsbadet.

Users Investments Water system

approximately 170,000 per year for the last three €11 million. Subsequently, €0.4 million and €0.2 filter sand and UV. Chlorine production of salt.
years, highest in 2014 with 210,000 users. ­ illion have been invested in the development of the
m Water solution 20% seawater and 80 % fresh-
pool island and café and fitness centre, respectively. water.
Number of employees/full-time equivalents
18 Water areas Energy consumption
4 inside, plus a hot tub. Outside is 1 water area plus 1.35 M kWh
Admission one hot tub.
Weekend prices Water consumption
children 3-10 years old: €14 Size of the facility 13,000 m³
Youth/seniors: €16 2,000 m² floor area. 4,600 m² in total. The pool
Adults €20 ­island covers 1,000 m².

37
 SPAIN
LLORET DE MAR MUNICIPAL SWIMMING POOL

Contact Lloret de Mar City Council, www.piscinalloret.cat Photos Fragments. Marc Torra
Architects Studio Pujol Sadovski, www.studiopujolsadovski.com Engineers AiA Instalacions Arquitectoniques, www.aia.cat

Pool concept + goal Description of the facility

Lloret de Mar is a municipality with 37,000 inhabitants on The indoor pool is in the town’s Sports District, between
the Mediterranean coast, 75 km northeast of Barcelona. Its athletics tracks and the sports hall. The building is adapt-
privileged setting amid beautiful scenery and its beaches ed formally and geometrically to the distribution and the
have made it an attractive place for crowds of tourists dur- requirements of the indoor spaces, expressing its wish to
ing the summer months. be seen and recognised and stimulating the curiosity of
­passers-by.
In 2004 the municipality of Lloret decided to introduce a
sports programme with the aim of promoting sport; the The building is organised on three levels:
idea was that this should be one of the fundamental drivers The basement, with a surface area of 3,350 m², is a large
of the qualitative leap that the city needed and wanted. The open space interrupted by the structure of the pool basin,
plan to build an Olympic-standard swimming pool would in built with stainless steel panels, which is registered on all
turn be the strategy for attracting international swimming four sides. This room principally houses the water filtration
teams in winter, in this way boosting sports tourism and system equipment, filters, balance tanks, dehumidifying
thus strengthening the economy and aiding its hotels dur- heat pumps and the boiler room facing a large ventilation
ing the winter months. courtyard that provides a high level of ventilation for the
basement.
Although it had plenty of hotel swimming pools for leisure
purposes, Lloret did not as yet have any public swimming The ground floor, where we find the entrance and the pool
pools, so the construction of an indoor public swimming deck, covers an area of 3,700 m². Users gain access to the
pool was a need that had to be addressed. pool from a lobby equipped with turnstiles that segregates
users and directs them to their corresponding changing
The initial project consisted of an arena for 2,500 spectators rooms, an essential step prior to gaining access to any of
and a 50-metre indoor pool, with a large wellness centre. the building’s sports and leisure areas. The lobby also dis-
tributes the spectators via a staircase to the upper floor.
The project viewed its functioning and management glob-
ally, despite the fact that execution was planned in different The changing room area is organised to accommodate in-
stages. The first stage began with the indoor pool and was dividuals or groups and has maximum flexibility in order
subsequently completed with the wellness centre. to adjust to the changing flows and numbers of specta-
38
tors. The backbone of the building is the area generated The areas open to the exterior feature curtain walls span-
around the pool basin. The pool is 51.22 metres long by ning the full height of the building. Varying shades of blue
25.00 metres wide and is 2.00 metres deep. The pool has a are introduced on the north façade as a feature reflecting
movable walkway 1.22 m wide and a movable floor meas- the colours of the Mediterranean Sea.
uring 25.00 x 7.50 metres. Its dimensions and its surface
area of 1,250 m² correspond to the goal of simultaneous- The roof of the 50-metre pool is of laminated wooden
ly enabling the different uses and activities that may take trusses that configure large skylights, through which the
place according to the different types and levels of train- light enters the building from the north.
ing, along with instruction and leisure activities and the
configuration of swimming and water polo competitions. Sustainability and energy conservation
The building has been designed to take account of the
From the pool, there are views of the landscaped areas most important criteria for optimal energy performance,
outside and the athletics track. The light entering through the idea being that its performance should adapt to the
the facades is reinforced by that entering through the sky- climate and weather of the part of the Mediterranean
lights in the roof. where it is located, to its shape, south-facing orientation,
type of thermal inertia, degree of transparency, control of
The area for spectators is on the upper floor, with capacity interior ventilation, thermal insulation in the overall trans-
for approximately 560 people, and the indoor sports pro- mission coefficient, and lastly the technologies that are
gramme is completed with spaces set aside for fitness and adopted, as well as meeting the needs generated by the
cardiovascular activities, aerobic activities, bodybuilding, activity.
yoga, etc. In total it covers 620 m².
The project is based on the implementation of efficient
The facility is complemented with outdoor courts: 3 tennis systems making use of free energy sources, either solar
courts, 6 paddle courts and 1 multipurpose court. energy or the use of free cooling or anti-crush systems
(free cooling and DHW production with recovery). The ca-
Formalisation of the architecture and the materials pacity and the possibility of dividing and separating the
The building’s construction materials are simple but noble: different spaces generate energy savings of up to 20%. All
white exposed concrete, laminated wood, phenolic panels, this is designed to make the investment cost reasonable
glass and ceramics. for the planned proposal.
39
 Special aspects of the country and the pool Conclusion: what makes this pool outstanding?
In Spain there are a total of 120,000 swimming pools (not The swimming pool in Lloret de Mar represents the para-
including communal residential and hotel pools). Of them, digm of the public pool in management terms, addressed
100,000 are indoor and outdoor public pools, for a pop- to serving the community. The pool design took into ac-
ulation of 47 million. count the site, the size of the municipality and the num-
ber of people who would be using it. The result was an
On average there is one indoor public pool for swimming energy-efficient public pool whose cost and use would be
in the coldest months for almost every 59,000 inhabitants. sustainable.

However, there are huge differences, depending on the Even so, what makes it stand out is the Olympic-standard
autonomous communities and cities. The city with the pool (50x25m), making it possible to practise and learn all
highest proportion is Vitoria, with one swimming pool forms of swimming: instruction, leisure, training and com-
per 28,000 inhabitants, while Madrid has one pool per petition in the different swimming and water polo disci-
75,000 inhabitants and Malaga, one pool per 137,000 in- plines, in this way stimulating the training of swimmers
habitants. and athletes.

Public pools are usually managed by way of licenses grant- The design and the possibilities offered by the swimming
ed to private management companies, or directly by the pool in Lloret de Mar make it a high-level pool, something
local council. found in very few municipalities in Spain.
40
Investment in euros Standard adult admission price Gross m² and m³ of building
€10,800,000 Price of monthly pass: €44 including technical area
Price for complete access per adult per day: €7 8,240 m² / 52,800 m³
User numbers
Number of users: 843 users/day on average Total heating, electricity and water consumption Water surface area in m²
Number of pass holders: 3,100 in kWh/m³ 1,250 m²
Maximum capacity: 1,468, ­including 560 spectators Electricity consumption in 2019: 31.17 kWh/m³
Water consumption in 2019: 15,500 m³
Number of staff Gas consumption in 2019: 34.20 kWh/m³
40: 30 customer service and administration,
­monitors and lifeguards; 1 manager; 6 cleaners, and Mg chlorine per litre
3 maintenance workers. Sand filtration with 1.50 mg/l

41
 SWITZERLAND
OVAVERVA

Contact Marco Michel, department head of Tourist Information, [email protected] www.ovaverva.ch

Photos Daniel Martinek
Architects Arbeitsgemeinschaft Bearth & Deplazes Architekten AG und Morger + Dettli Architekten AG

Pool concept + goal The spa (mixed nude sauna area) is “hidden” in the roof of
After 26 months for construction, OVAVERVA Pool, Spa & the building, protected from outside views, but with fantas-
Sports Centre had its opening in July 2014. The promising tic views of the Upper Engadine landscape. In the centre is
project adds value to tourism in the mountain region with the lounge area, which receives daylight from the skylight
its recreational activities, spa treatments and sports pro- of the central staircase.
grammes. An attractive range of offers is available to tour-
ists and locals. The tourism industry and small hotels ben- Separate cloakrooms are available in the spa, and access
efit from this, as many hotels cannot offer their own pool, from the indoor pool is also provided. In two sauna areas,
wellness centre or fitness centre to their guests. Whether one of which is for females only, there are various sweat
athletes, families, school groups, hikers, skiers, clubs, old or rooms with a dry or humid climate. The relaxation rooms
young – everyone will find the right offer at the OVAVERVA. and the large whirlpool are great places to unwind after a
The municipality of St. Moritz made its largest investment sauna. The offer in the spa area also extends to a bar.
in years at € 63.3 million in the construction of the new
centre that will, however, pay off for the entire region in Furthermore, the facility contains a fitness centre and an
the long term. outdoor centre offering shops for swimwear, casual wear
and fitness wear.
Description of the facility
The spacious indoor pool area (a total of 3,200 m²) at Specialities of the country and the pool
OVAVERVA offers the following facilities: a 25-metre pool Switzerland has approximately 450 indoor and 300 outdoor
for leisure lap swimming or competition training, a learners pools for roughly 8.5 mio inhabitants. Pools in Switzerland
pool for beginners and for water gymnastics, a paddling are normally owned and operated by the municipalities.
and splashing area for small children (toddler pool), and Only thermal pools and large leisure pools/water parks are
a diving pool with two 1-metre boards and one 3-metre owned and operated by private companies. Public-private
platform. The outdoor pool with bubble loungers and the partnerships are rare.
sun terrace offer relaxation with a magnificent view of
the Maloja Pass. The fun tower is inside the building and Many pools were built between the 1960s and 1980s. In
contains three different tubes with a total length of 190 the last two decades, refurbishment has been the key activ-
metres. The tubes vary from a comfortable slide to a “ka- ity in the pool sector. Most new pools are replacements for
mikaze fall”. The indoor pool activities also include a bistro. pools unamenable to modernisation.
42
 Architekturplan
In general, the Swiss build extremely high-quality build- pools as a fixed-cost business. It took St. Moritz almost 10 101

ings. Construction costs are accordingly high. From an ar- years to decide on a strategy and realise it. Ovaverva is larg-
Ovaverva
Bädergeschoss

chitectural point, the Swiss like purist designs with natural er than many other evaluated concepts in the decision pro- Gemeinde Parz. Nr. Dieser
Eigentü
St. Moritz 1311 oder fü

materials (including exposed concrete). This “coolness” at cess. It represents well the Swiss tradition of leisure pools
pools sometimes reduces the feel-good factor. for all with its purist design and high construction quality.

H
B

F
The architecture of Ovaverva is outstanding: The building, 3BG-R01
Restaurant-Terrasse
138.48 m²

cast in white artificial stone, is limited from the outside to a

3BG-
3BG-R02 Kinderplanschbecken
Restaurant 43.32 m²
208.49 m² 3BG-S01
Schacht
2.68 m²

3-part structure. The open main level with its characteristic 3BG-S06
Schacht
1.56 m²

3BG-L01 3BG-L02
3BG-
Lernschwimmbecken
144.00 m²
3BG-R03

columns is located on the closed base, capped by the flat

Warenlift Schuhlift
Küche 4.63 m² 2.80 m²
55.38 m²
3BG-L03
3BG-R04 3BG-TR01 Barfusslift
2.80 m²
Buffet Treppe 01
7.60 m² 23.20 m²

roof above it.

D D
3BG-S05
Schacht
1.23 m²

3BG-B01
Umgangsfläche Bad
1416.03 m²
3BG-B02 3BG-TR05
Bad-Terrasse Haupttreppe 05 3BG-S04
304.64 m² 31.25 m²
Schacht
4.46 m²

3BG-B--
3BG-B04 Eingang Funtower
Funtower Galerie 11.29 m² 3BG-TR04

The four very similar façades of the square ground plan

47.65 m² Treppe 04
13.75 m²

3BG-
Aussenbecken 3BG-B05
3BG-S02 WC Herren
158.20 m² Schacht

differ only in subtle usage-related characteristics. The com-

12.92 m²
7.86 m²

3BG-L04 3BG-B06 3BG-B07

Barfusslift WC Rollstuhlgängig Gang
3.10 m² 4.40 m²
4.16 m²
E E

plex spatial structure of the interior with its diverse range

3BG-TR02
Treppe 02 3BG-B08
13.67 m² WC Damen
18.25 m²

of offers is not apparent from the reduced exterior. 3BG-B09

Bademeister/Sanität
18.04 m²

3BG-TR03
Treppe 03

Conclusion: what makes this pool outstanding?

3BG-B10
Elektro 13.31 m²
7.69 m²

3BG-S03
Schacht
3BG- 15.05 m²
25m - Becken

St. Moritz is a world-famous mountain resort in Switzer-

404.78 m²
3BG-
Sprungbecken
116.10 m²
C C
3BG-B13

land with strong tourism seasons in winter and summer.

Schwimmmaterial
49.51 m²

Between these tourism seasons, it is a very rural area with

a low catchment area, which are difficult circumstances for
H
B

User number Gross m² and m³ of building ­

including Total consumption of heat,
Pool: 110,000 per year technical area electricity in kWh/m³ and total water con-
with 63% adults & 37% children 12,168 m², 56,000 m³ sumption (2019)
(public: 97.2% & school: 2.8 %) Heat: 56.68 kWh/m³
Spa: 30,000 per year Water surface in m² Electricity: 52.73 kWh/m³
Fitness: 7,000 per year 915m² Water: 28,732 m³

Number of staff Pool water treatment system Further Swiss pools representing this
25 – 35 (depending on season) Multi-stage process: glass filter material design philosophy of purist design and
­
(3 different sizes fine/medium/coarse), acti- high quality:
Standard adult admission vated carbon treatment with chlorine/ozone Therme Vals (Zumthor), Bernaqua,
€ 14.25 pool for an adult (all-day ticket) Ägeribad, Tamina Therme, Tschuggen
€ 35.60 pool and spa for an adult mg chlorine per litre Arosa (Mario Botta)
(all-day ticket) 0.2 – 0.8mg/l
(according to Swiss guideline SIA 385/9)
Investment in euros
€ 63.3 million
43
 UNITED KINGDOM
HEBBURN CENTRAL

Photos Hufton + Crow

Architects FaulknerBrowns, www.faulknerbrowns.com

Pool concept + goal The site’s central location within the masterplan provided
Hebburn Central is a striking new library and community the opportunity to re-establish a sense of place, providing
sports facility located in South Tyneside, just south of the a focus and heart for the community. The 1940’s histor-
River Tyne on the outskirts of Newcastle, north-east Eng- ic street pattern of the town was analysed and used to
land. It provides 5800m² of library, public sector customer mend and heal the broken townscape and reinforce the
service facilities, dance studios, community events spaces, urban grain of the town centre. Dynamic and animated
a 6-lane 25m pool, fitness suite and 4-courts sports hall. ground floor uses have been incorporated into the design
of the new community facility, which exudes civic pride,
The project represents the first phase of an ambitious enabling the creation of vibrant and flexible spaces that
regeneration project that seeks to redefine the existing contribute to Hebburn’s contemporary and progressive
town centre which has, during the late 20th century, suf- regeneration agenda.
fered dramatically from the effects of the de-industrialisa-
tion of this region. Description of the facility
The design of Hebburn Central brings together previously
Whilst the heyday of large-scale shipbuilding has long disconnected community facilities into one centrally locat-
since gone, marine maintenance and ship repair helps to ed entity. This includes a wide range of leisure elements
create a strong community with a proud industrial her- including a six-lane 25m pool, learning pool, fitness suite,
itage. FaulknerBrowns Architects were commissioned by dance studio, sports hall, external 3G artificial pitch and
Willmot Dixon and South Tyneside Council to develop a children’s play area.
new town centre masterplan which has at its heart Heb-
burn Central, a community facility and ambitious first step The entrance area is also home to a cafe and seating area
to promote wider urban regeneration. which directly overlooks the shallow fun pool, enabling
44
parents to enjoy refreshments in a comfortable atmos- Specialities of the country and the pool
phere whilst being able to watch their children having fun In 2019 research showed that there were 3,170 swimming
or being taught to swim. pool sites containing a total of 4,559 pools. The 2019
State of UK Swimming Industry Report shows that 84%
These are integrated alongside a community library and of the UK population live within 2 miles of one of the
customer service centre operated by the local council, pro- 3,170 swimming pool sites. The total stock of swimming
viding public access to key resources and administration, pools doesn’t change dramatically, but, year to year, the
as well as digital media and event spaces. carrying capacity of the water keeps expanding and par-
ticipation is growing across the industry.
Combined within one single space, the series of uses over-
lap to deliver a vibrant and sustainable mix of people of all Libraries, pools and public-sector service centres are com-
ages and abilities into one active and diverse community mon assets throughout the UK. Recent evolutions in pub-
platform, central to the project, with shared and intercon- lic-sector asset management strategy allowed us to pro-
nected views of the wide range of sports facilities on offer. mote the agenda that successful place-making for pub-
lic-sector building projects should not focus on isolated
Furthermore, the project had engagement from, as well as nodes of service provision, but rather as single continuous
following the guidance of, Sport England. environments, incorporating community spaces alongside
the more traditional public-sector services, which usually
Taking inspiration from the community’s industrial herit- reside in dedicated administrative buildings.
age, the design solution for Hebburn Central utilises tech-
nologies and fabrication methods which are synonymous At Hebburn Central we have been able to bring together
with Hebburn’s engineering and shipbuilding pedigree. housing administration, library services, municipal cus-
45
 tomer services and traditional leisure uses (pool, sports hall, role in the regeneration of an area that has suffered from
fitness suite etc). These facilities sit alongside a dedicated cus- decline in industry, against the backdrop of extensive
tomer service facility for the council that brings civic services ­demolition campaigns. Together with the local authority,
and enquiries directly to the heart of the community in an the project paves the way for economic and urban regen-
accessible and integrated format, ensuring through shared eration on a significant scale. Our project helps to redefine
use and co-location that operational efficiencies for the local the concept of mixing use at community level, and employs
authority are realised. Using heat exchange from the library intelligent technical design solutions that deliver highly on
and gym to heat the pool environment helps to drive holistic value and quality.
and integrated environmental sustainability in parallel.
The community facilities at Hebburn Central provide both
The benefits of this type of shared space initiative not only health and social benefits, the facility has been used ex-
generates clear efficiencies, but also generates community tensively by the public, schools, voluntary groups and local
buildings that are rich in character and distinct in identity, businesses. The centre has become a key focal point within
creating spaces that are socially driven and environmentally the community, acting as gateway to wider Council servic-
responsive. es and helping to make South Tyneside a genuine destina-
tion of choice as a great place to live, work and bring up
Conclusion: what makes this pool outstanding families. Hebburn Central has become a popular, vibrant
Hebburn Central provides an innovative, distinctive and sig- attraction, drawing a customer base not only from South
nificant piece of community place-making that plays a key Tyneside but also neighbouring towns and cities.
46
Investment Pool water treatment system Current admission
€15,248,000 Medium-rate sand filtration, with chlorine as Adult monthly membership: £29 for all activities
­primary ­disinfectant, pH control and UV as second- Adult non-member swim: £5.25 per session
User numbers (2019) ary d­ isinfection Adult non-member gym: £7.10 per session
Swim (457,000) Adult non-member fitness class: £5.55 per session
Gym (279,000) Mg chlorine per litre
Classes (139,000) 1mg/l

Gross internal area Special learner pool feature

5,800m² Hydraulic moveable floor system, complete with
self-depositing steps, which provide access for
Pool water surface area able-bodied and ­ambulant bathers, whatever the
325m² (main) / 91m² (learner) depth of the pool

47
 www.iaks.sport

48