POOL DESIGN AWARDS 2016 - Europe - The most beautiful renovated swimming pool
Sports Centre Leonberg 
- Architect: 4A Architekten
- Project leader: Martin Reimer
- Location: Leonberg/Allemagne
Photo credits: David Matthiessen
The redevelopment of the sports centre dating from the 1970s was divided into two stages of construction. During the first stage, the two sports halls and the bathing hall were refurbished with adjoining rooms and technical installations while the outdoor facilities were partly remodelled.
The second phase involves the restructuring and complete redevelopment of the sauna area, comprising a sauna with a view and a sauna garden. While the indoor swimming pool and the two sports halls have been open to bathers and sportspeople since February 2014, the structural conversion work in the sauna area will be finished in September 2016.
The triangular shape of the bathing hall continues to characterise the building complex. In order to optimise energy efficiency, all the glass facades in the building have been replaced – the external appearance of the sports centre therefore remains virtually unchanged. All the more surprising is the interior of the refurbished and remodelled building complex.
The aim here was to optimise the sports centre with regard to its functional requirements and atmospheric effect using minor structural measures. In order to achieve this, the architects have created new floor plans and optimised the layout of routes. The entire building technology has also been updated – only parts of the bathing water equipment have been retained.
The concrete surfaces in the entrance area have been repainted and the floor has been re-tiled. For the purposes of orientation, the architects have taken up the old colour guidance system that characterises the whole building with its colour coding: blue guides visitors to the bathing hall while green leads them to the changing areas; orange shows the way to the large sports hall and yellow indicates the way to the gymnasium.
The large bathing hall comprises a pool for swimmers, a learners’ pool and a children’s pool. All the original pools and pool surrounds have been left intact.
The refurbishment work in this area has mainly been concentrated on the ceiling, which has been replaced throughout the baths while the brown timber roof trusses have been painted in white. The ceiling’s colour design eye-catching is with a pattern of green, yellow and blue panels deriving from the triangular form of the roof.