Swimming pool in Havlíčkův Brod
The Cihlářský Brook Valley is a landscape phenomenon of the Havlíčkův Brod region, with enormous recreational potential for the entire city. A cascade of dozens of ponds, descending along a gentle slope from the open countryside all the way to the very center of the city, makes it a sought-after area for recreation, sports, and tourism.
The principle of placing sports and recreational public buildings into this green valley makes conceptual sense. However, we consider it absolutely essential not to repeat the mistakes of the old swimming pool, with its complicated multi-level layout and numerous blind corners. That building creates a barrier within the valley as a whole and mentally divides the entire park into two parts.
In addressing this task, we are considering how to avoid repeating that mistake and instead create a building that appropriately complements the site, supports its park-like character, and becomes an integral and iconic part of the valley.
| Project: | A swimmig pool in Havlíčkův Brod - architectural competition |
| Authors: | Pavel Hnilička, Jindřich Blaha, Theresa Kjellberg, Lenka Watersová, Soňa Števaňáková, Ondřej Lebeda |
| Cooperation: | Ing. arch. Mikoláš Vavřín – landscaping |
| Client: | The town of Havlíčkův Brod |
| Year: | 2025 |
With investment costs in mind, we place the building on the flat part of the site. This allows us to avoid complex foundation work as well as interventions into the existing cycle path and mature greenery to the east. We also take into account the constraints of the zoning plan. In shaping the building, we follow the orthogonal axial system of the swimming complex, which ties in well with the vista from Budoucnost Park. The entrances to both the indoor pool and the outdoor swimming area are located off a shared shaded forecourt at the intersection of all access routes.
We organize the pool’s operation into six rational units: the swimming hall, the leisure hall, the sauna world, the changing area, the entrance hall with refreshments, and the facilities for the outdoor pools. Each unit is given its own volume, and for each volume an appropriate position on the site is found. The volumes intersect one another in order to create optimal operational connections.
Each operational unit requires a different clear height. We transform this functional requirement into an artistic motif of cascading roofs, descending step by step from the tallest pool hall down to the sauna world, which is connected to the lowered terrain in the southern part of the site. This gives rise to a distinctive architectural figure that refers to the cascade of ponds.
The interior space is further articulated by solid “stones” placed within the overlaps of the roofs. These stones define large open spaces for the main functions: the pool halls, the entrance hall, the changing area, and the sauna world. They contain the necessary supporting facilities, such as showers, storage rooms, and so on. The free edges of the roofs offer striking panoramic views of the surrounding green slopes of the valley.
Since the building occupies part of the currently used grounds of the outdoor swimming complex, we go beyond the brief by proposing that the roofs be made accessible to visitors of both the indoor and outdoor pools. In this way, the visitor experience could be enriched, for example, by sunbathing at a lookout point high above the summer bustle of the swimming complex, or by relaxing in a hot tub among the treetops.
In the valley floor, we will increase the number of trees in order to improve the microclimate, reduce wind exposure and dust at the swimming complex, improve acoustics through tree planting along the ring road, and provide the public with natural shade beneath the canopies of water-loving trees. In the grassy recreational areas as well as on the roofs, linear hedges will serve as windbreaks. The roofs will offer the public restful gardens with intensive greenery in the form of low grove-like plantings.
The entrance hall offers a view into the leisure hall, but the route to the pools leads past the ticket desk through the changing rooms and the sanitary facilities block. From the showers, visitors first enter the elevated pool hall, where they are immediately welcomed by a panoramic view of the opposite western slope.
The sauna world is oriented to the southwest, toward the bend of the Cihlářský Brook, and at the same time toward the quietest part of the site. The sauna area continues on the second floor with a Finnish sauna offering panoramic views, as well as a rooftop garden with a hot tub and terraces for relaxation.
