The new urban swimming pool will be part of a sporty cluster in the city: racecourse, golf, basketball arena and football stadium.
The site is easily accessible by all modes of transport and is located on the transition between the more residential Ostend and the coastal strip. The design also tries to translate this transition spatially on the site.
The main shape of the building is a clear translation of the requested spaces, including parking and apartments.
“An unambiguously materialised facade of masonry and concrete forges the various functions into one unit.”
The shape, with cut-outs, patios and terraces together determine the structure of the different facades to the environment and react to it.
The various functionalities are recognisable from the outside. For example, the swimming pool has different window openings than the apartments and the entrance to the swimming pool has a different need for space than the apartments. It ensures that the building has a different appearance on all sides and also connects spatially differently to surrounding buildings and racecourse/wave.
The result is an expressive building with various faces that looks different on all sides and interacts with its surroundings. A building with a human dimension that creates a pleasant feeling to stay on the forecourt.
In the future, the majority of people will approach the swimming pool from Nieuwpoortsesteenweg. We designed the building on this side in such a way that people have a view of the swimming pool and the activities in the building, but in a way that it never dominates.
From the square on Northlaan, the building is open and inviting. The swimming pool, the cafeteria, the terraces, the entrance, the flats and the golf course, everything is visible. Even the lifeguards have a view of the forecourt.
“All these functions can be recognised separately under two large canopies, with the focus on the beautiful bright entrance.”
Towards the golf course the building is more robust. The large swimming halls are on this side. All with a beautiful view – through the trees – over the golf course.
Location
Ostend
Region
Flanders
Status
Completed in 2021
Energy level
K19
Floor area
Swimming pool : 3.906 m²
Other spaces: 4.251,95 m²
Appartements: 2.093 m²
Parking: 1.602 m²
Picture and photography
Klaas Verdru
Team
Client: Sportbuilders nv, Stad Oostende and FARYS/TMVW
Architect: TA B2Ai – Venhoeven CS
Stability: NEY & Partners
MEP and building physics: Studiebureau R. Boydens
Main contractor: Sportsbuilders (Olco Sportsphere and Stadsbader)
Water treatment: KWB
