SPECTACLE OF COLOR IN THE SWIMMING OPERA HOUSE
Hamburg's Alster swimming hall was reopened at the end of November. Agrob Buchtal was also involved in the renovation of the striking listed building from the 1960s.
The coral-red ceramic tiles on the interior walls of the newly renovated and extended Hamburg Alster swimming hall are a real eye-catcher. They stand out clearly from the blue of the pools, forming a striking contrast to the element of water with their warm, one might almost say fiery color. What runs along the walls of the various areas, in the changing rooms and showers, on columns and partition walls like a design guideline are ceramic tiles from the Loop series by Agrob Buchtal. On closer inspection, you can see that they consist of countless round mosaic tiles.
Modern additions and careful renovation
After three years of renovation and conversion, the Alster swimming pool has now reopened its pools for regular use. The architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) coordinated the planning and construction of the refurbishment and conversion as general planners. schlaich bergmann partner (sbp) was responsible for the execution. The founder of the architecture firm, Jörg Schlaich, who died in 2021, was already involved in the design of the striking roof in the 1960s, which is reminiscent of the shape of a ray. Because of this concrete shell roof, the largest of its kind in Europe, the people of Hamburg gave the building the name Schwimmoper - the building reminded them of the Sydney Opera House and became an icon of Hamburg architecture.
For a building that, like the Alster Schwimmhalle, is getting on in years, it is as much about preservation as it is about change. In close coordination with the heritage protection authority and all those involved in the construction, gmp Architekten succeeded in creating a concept that transforms swimming pool technology and usage requirements, which have changed radically in half a century, into a swimming landscape of the future. Today, the bathing slab with its visually very well connected pools not only looks much brighter, but also much tidier.
The 50-metre sports pool, the ten-metre diving tower and the "fitness cube" on the east side have largely been retained. A separate diving pool is now located where the benches of the indoor swimming pool, which was originally designed as a competition venue, used to be. In addition, the original extension on the north side has been replaced by a new building. Thanks to the renovation, there is now a 25-metre pool and a training pool, a barrier-free entrance area, changing rooms, fitness and sauna areas.
Custom-made products for a listed building
The major challenge in renovating the Alster swimming pool was that it is a listed building. For the pool tiles of the large 50-meter sports pool and its smaller siblings, the diving and children's pool, Agrob Buchtal reproduced the exact blue tone of the original building - a special development and custom-made product of the Chroma series, which is specially designed for swimming pools and pools.
Swimming pools must not only meet high architectural requirements, but must also be tailored to the respective needs. In sports pools, the Finland pool head system with its sloping pool edge reduces wave rebound. This guarantees the same competition conditions for all swimmers right up to the last lane. Together with a special drain, it also reduces the noise level in the indoor pool. The channel stone in the mineral pool, on the other hand, does not have to meet these requirements; here, the focus is on the special elegance of the Wiesbaden channel. The matching hand-barrel stone in the color ecru (natural shade of wool white) is also a custom-made product by Agrob Buchtal.
Design with certainty
In search of a harmonious addition to the acoustic tiles made of brown perforated stone, which were retained and restored as part of the imposing swimming pool hall, gmp Architekten opted for the Loop series. The secret of its depth, luminosity and durability is the glaze. Up to ten layers are applied to the stoneware and fired to make it abrasion-proof. This is how the Loop mosaics were created, imitating the structure of the existing material, but at the same time creating their own accents of radiant, lasting beauty on the walls with their bright color.
The benches, which run along the entire window side of the mineral basin, are also made of the bright red mosaics. This is where the particular advantage of the design becomes apparent: the circular loop fits the ergonomically curved benches like a second skin.
When it comes to safety, the Chroma series shows how it's done: its ceramic tiles have a category C slip resistance rating and ensure accident-free access to the pool, particularly in areas where there is a risk of slipping, such as the steps leading into the water.
Healthy economy
Another plus point of Agrob Buchtal's ceramic tiles and indispensable especially in swimming pools: they are easy to clean and ensure hygiene in the room. The Hytect finish is responsible for this. It has an antibacterial effect, reduces air pollutants and unpleasant odors. This is a permanently important point for changing rooms, showers and toilets.
In this way, the structural identity of the Alster indoor swimming pool was preserved during the renovation and extension. At the same time, however - also thanks to Agrob Buchtal - a balance was struck between preservation, functional redesign and adaptation to today's needs and requirements. The Hamburg Swimming Opera is now fit for the future again.
Press contact
Gabriele Busse (Press Spokeswoman / Senior Manager PR)
Deutsche Steinzeug Cremer & Breuer AG
T. +49 (0)228 391-1104
M. +49 (0)151 14976931
Email: gabriele.busse@deutsche-steinzeug.de
