Eco Factor: Swimming pool with planted roof for energy efficiency.
Vincent Callebaut Architectures have come up with a sustainable swimming pool design for the thermal center of Royat city in France as a dynamic response to the ambition of Royat city to build a mobilization swimming pool represented by attractive and contemporary architecture researched by the patients of spas.
The architecture proposes the construction of a “planted wave” that covers the pool hall under its curve. By meeting the needs of the program as precisely as possible, the project emphasizes three major themes that include the urban signal, the welfare of the patients and high environmental quality. The “green wave” designed by the architects takes into account all the constraints of the site and presents a compact made-to-measure volumetry on stilts of the scratched surrounding frame.
The urban integration of this extension welcoming the mobilization swimming pool is made with simplicity and lightness. Under this green wave, the fountain pool and the mobilization pool have both a circular shape for pools in this cramped setting-up context and on the other hand this shape enables the patients to take advantage of their cares with visibility equivalent for everybody toward the physiotherapists places at equidistance from everyone in the center of the pools.
The protecting cocoon ensures a warn atmosphere that is more relaxing for the patients. The mobilization pool, located in the West of the hall, profits by the piercing in screen wall of engraved wooden façade on the avenue, whereas the glazed eardrum offers a view on a planted wall. Both pools are thus placed in a case of aquatic plants set in jardinières taking the exact shape of the curves with their contours and defining comfortable beaches.
The Green Wave project sets a case of nature on the site and the planted roof ensure a great acoustic and thermal comfort inside the hall. The bio-climate cushion will also help in reducing the energetic expenditure by accumulating the heat in winter and by ventilating the hall naturally during summers.
All images © Vincent Callebaut Architectures [Used with permission]
Thanks: Vincent Callebaut Architectures
