Architects Agence Search win contract for aquatic centre in French forest
by Kim Megson | 09 Jun 2016
French architects Agence Search have won a competition to design a sustainable, green-roofed aquatic centre on the west coast of France.
The studio have been granted a budget of €8.7m (US$9.7m, £6.7m) by the local government of Chateaulin and Porza communes to create a currently unnamed 8,000sq m (81,000sq ft) complex bringing “leisure, education, relaxation and wellness to the community”.
The centre will be located in a forested plot near the River Aulne, and the design is intended to merge with this environment in subtle ways. To create a friendly, relaxing space which will draw people in, Agence Search have visualised a “compact, inclusive and highly contextualised” circular building.
The project is based on the use of topography, with the gently spiralling grassy roof evoking a hilltop, and the facility’s car park covered with vegetative pavers and hidden from view behind a slope.
The southern half of the building will play with transparency, with heavy use of glass allowing swimmers in the facility’s pools to look out towards the landscape. The northern half, which features the public entrances to the building, will feature alternating opaque and transparent spaces.
Landscaping around the site has been designed by Sempervirens. The building’s engineering will be overseen by Oteis Sechaud Bossuyt and Peutz et Associés are consulting on the centre’s acoustics.
Swimming is a popular communal activity in France, and a number of innovative swimming pools are being developed by architects throughout the country. Paris practice Mikou Studio recently completed a swimming pool, sports and wellbeing centre in Mollineaux inspired by the philosophy of feng shui.
Agence Search aquatic centre France swimming pool design architecture Chateaulin Porza
Agence Search have visualised a “compact, inclusive and highly contextualised” circular building Credit: MIR
French architects Agence Search have won a competition to design a sustainable, green-roofed aquatic centre on the west coast of France. The studio have been granted a budget of €8.7m (US$9.7m, £6.7m) by the local government of Chateaulin and Porza communes to create a currently unnamed 8,000sq m (81,000sq ft) complex bringing “leisure, education, relaxation and wellness to the community”. The centre will be located in a forested plot near
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