Stunning new indoor pool

28 July 2014 is a day the residents of the German town of Münster will not easily forget. That was the day when torrential rain, unprecedented in Germany, flooded the city. One of the many buildings affected by the flooding was the community centre in Münster’s Kinderhaus district.

The pool inside the building complex also fell victim to the flood water, which rose to ceiling level of the cellar rooms, destroying all the building services equipment. The changing rooms and pool had to be cleared of sludge and cleaned.

Three years later, the indoor pool is shiny and new again. The foyer and changing rooms are largely unchanged following the restoration. However, the swimming pools have been totally revamped, with a sophisticated new layout.

Architects Janßen, Bär and Partners, based in Bad Zwischenahn, came up with a new concept which included renovating all of the technical areas, the roof and façade. The major overhaul included a brand new children’s area with waterfall and snake sprinkler, where parents can watch their little ones play in the water from the long bench along the bank of the paddling pool, as well as the restored roof terrace which can be accessed from the children’s area. The slide with “landing strip” parallel to the large pool with underwater LED lighting also provides thrills for children and grown-ups alike.

The floor, walls and benches all have their own tile size and colour: small, green mosaic tiles for the elongated benches, nuanced crossways layering for the walls, and variations in grey for the floor. The largely glazed façade features some green panes which create a interesting colour play on the grey floor tiles in sunlight.

Another design element is a band of Troldtekt acoustic panels from the Troldtekt rhomb mini design series, which runs along the wall. These acoustic panels are 60 cm wide and feature CNC-milled tracks which create a three-dimensional cube on the surfaces. This effect is further accentuated by different colours of paint. The Troldtekt rhomb mini, however, are not just a decorative feature of the Kinderhaus swimming pool: as with all Troldtekt products, the combination of natural wood and cement offers unique sound-absorbing properties, ensuring good acoustics in the swimming pool. The material is durable and is also ideal for damp environments.