New Combined Pool Opens in Memmingen
The public pool has been officially opened (from left): Dr Julia Kössinger (City Councillor for Sport), Mayor Petra Beer, Mayor Michael Ruppert, Lord Mayor Jan Rothenbacher, Marcus Geske, Head of the Municipal Utilities, Chief Building Director Fabian Damm, Head of the Building Authority Tanja Aberle, Frank Michel (Building Authority), Prof. Dr Dieter Buchberger (City Councillor responsible for Municipal Utilities and Energy), Architect Bernhard Asböck and Doreen Seeberger (Operations Manager of the swimming pool complex) | Photo: Alexandra Wehr/ Press Office, City of Memmingen.
(eap) Following a construction period of around three years, the new Schwimmwerk Memmingen combined indoor and outdoor swimming pool opened on Friday, 10 July, in the Bavarian city of Memmingen. “While swimming pools are closing in many places, we are deliberately sending a positive signal for the future of our city: With the Schwimmwerk, we have created a modern pool for our children’s swimming lessons, for water sports clubs and for everyone who enjoys swimming. We are opening an attractive, energy-efficient and sustainable swimming facility for exercise and sport, leisure and relaxation – a major asset for Memmingen and the entire region,” emphasised Lord Mayor Jan Rothenbacher.
At the opening, the first swimming enthusiasts were already doing their laps in the outdoor pool’s 50-metre pool | Photo: Alexandra Wehr/ Press Office, City of Memmingen.
With a water surface area of around 800 square metres, the new indoor pool offers almost twice as much water space as its predecessor. This comprises a 25-metre pool with eight lanes and one- and three-metre diving boards, a teaching pool with neck showers and massage jets, a course pool with a movable floor, and a toddlers’ pool. The indoor area also features a NinjaCross installation with two courses supplied by Roth & Challier Erlebnisanlagen, a steam sauna by Devine and a relaxation lounge.
The outdoor area offers a total water surface of more than 1,400 square metres. It comprises a swimming pool with six 50-metre lanes, a non-swimmer pool with a stainless-steel slide from Atlantics, current channel, water mushroom, floor jets and massage jets, as well as a toddlers’ pool with a small slide and various spray features. In addition to several activity areas for beach volleyball, boccia and table tennis, younger guests can also enjoy a playground supplied by tollerei.
A total of around EUR 47.7 million was invested in the construction of the new combined pool, which received approximately EUR 3.7 million in funding from the Free State of Bavaria and was realised in accordance with an energy-efficient passive house concept. “With its passive house certification, the use of sustainable materials such as wood and consistent monitoring during operation, the Schwimmwerk serves as an exemplary model of climate-friendly, cost-effective and future-proof public infrastructure,” explained Marcus Geske, Head of Stadtwerke Memmingen, which acts as both the client and operator of Schwimmwerk Memmingen.
Bernhard Asböck (Asböck Architekten, Munich) has been involved for many years in the planning and, ultimately, the construction of the Memmingen public pool | Photo: Alexandra Wehr/ Press Office, City of Memmingen.
Around 20 planning offices and more than 60 trades were involved in the construction of the combined pool. The architectural design was developed by Munich-based Asböck Architekten. “We are very pleased that the idea we formulated for the competition in 2008 has proved to be highly viable. During the lengthy planning process, many aspects were intensively discussed and optimised through an outstanding team effort,” explained architect Bernhard Asböck. “The cooperation between the municipal building department, Stadtwerke Memmingen as the future operator and all the planning partners was excellent, and all the companies involved also contributed to implementing our vision of a modern swimming facility.”
Other companies involved included Berndorf Bäderbau (stainless steel pools), Esch Objektkonzepte (furnishings), n-tree solutions (access and control system) and Wassertechnik Wertheim (water treatment technology). ■
