The competition for the design of a covered swimming pool in Havlíčkův Brod was won by the studio Aoc architekti

Havlíčkův Brod - The architectural competition for the design of a new indoor swimming pool in Havlíčkův Brod was won by the Aoc architects studio. The jury assessed 25 designs, two of which were from Slovakia and Hungary. The city plans to build the facility next to the summer swimming pool on Chotěbořská Street. It will include a swimming pool, a relaxation area with hot tubs and a slide, and a sauna center. City representatives informed journalists of this today. The current municipal pool in the park is slowly becoming outdated.

The competition was announced by the city hall last December. The seven-member jury included representatives from the city as well as independent architects, who agreed on the first place. There was no opposition to the winning proposal, said Mayor Zbyněk Stejskal (ODS). The awarded designs are displayed in the New Town Hall. A catalog with all proposals will be available on the city’s website.

"Everyone hopes that the pool will be completed within four years," said the mayor. He added that the city will now negotiate with the winning studio about developing a project that should be completed by the end of next year. "Then we will seek some grant titles," he said. The city will apply for support from the National Sports Agency as well as from the region. According to current estimates, the construction will cost around 500 to 600 million crowns.

The winning studio is based in Prague but has projects throughout the country. "Because we focus heavily on public architectural competitions," stated Josef Choc from Aoc architects. He mentioned that the design for Havlíčkův Brod was based on their experience with preparing a pool in Krnov, for which the company made a study. However, last year’s floods delayed the project there.

The new facility in Havlíčkův Brod will replace the indoor pool, which has been next to the ice rink in the municipal park for almost 30 years. "We have come to the conclusion that the symbiosis of a classic outdoor swimming pool and an indoor swimming pool is much more comfortable and economical. It makes sense even during the summer months when the weather is not ideal," said the mayor regarding the choice of the new location. The architects had to deal with a smaller area in a confined valley with a green slope and the Cihlářský brook.

"The building's mass fits very well into the terrain, which is not simple," noted Deputy Mayor Libor Honzárek (TOP 09). The ground-level facility will feature green roofs and photovoltaic panels. The slide is positioned such that the building may vaguely resemble a steamer.

The interior features wooden elements, and glazed areas allow views into the greenery. An outdoor cooling pond will be located near the sauna center. The new building will also include facilities such as changing rooms for the summer swimming pool.

The city also considered the size of the swimming pool. According to the mayor, a 50-meter pool does not exist in the Vysočina region. In the end, they commissioned a pool with lanes measuring 25 meters. "We are not a swimming city, but a hockey city," he noted. The current indoor pool is expected to serve until the new facility opens. After that, it will likely face demolition. Various opinions are emerging regarding the later use of this site, but the mayor would be pleased if the area returned to the municipal park.