Following the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the plan comes as a welcome surprise to locals wanting to get outside and enjoy their freedoms in the coastal town of Arendal, Norway. The open-air pool will be built to recognise the town’s 300th-anniversary taking place in 2024, with multi-use facilities and a modern design reminiscent of a topographical map of the coastal area. The curvaceous design, that makes use of depth and layering, is also a nod to the area’s natural forming rock formations and aesthetic.
The site has a rich and interesting history, first opening in 1937 the original bath was mainly used for water sports by local teams but only lasted for ten years before being closed. The 1960s saw the site be reopened, in a contemporary and surprising way as a jazz club for the town to enjoy, but was eventually demolished due to unsafe decay in the 1980s.
The new skerry structure is likely to welcome many locals from the area due to its large new site situated on 750-square metre land between the islands of Tromøy and Hisøy. Snøhetta expressed interest in restoring the original facility, but after a feasibility study concluded it was not practical in terms of modernisation, and instead opted for the new structure constructed on steel piles to withstand the area’s harsh weather conditions. Snøhetta also is looking to incorporate some technologies that are less greenhouse-gas emitting, to contribute to more sustainable development.
"So far, carbon-neutral and even carbon negative compositions have been achieved, so we are looking at viable options for application in the project, either structurally or aesthetically," Snøhetta project manager Marius Hauland Næss contended.
Residents of the town will be welcoming an open-air stage, facilities for swimming including a pool, change rooms and a diving board, and offers a sunbathing deck for those hoping to get a tan! Restaurants and smaller performance spaces will also be open to the public. The site is scheduled to be opened in 2024.
Images via Dezeen