Les Thermes Strassen
This modern and contemporary structure has been designed to infuse pleasure and energy into its activities. Formed from the peaks and troughs of an electrocardiogram trace of an athlete in full effort, the geometry cleverly exploits natural light to illuminate the interior of the building. Designed to meet the multiple needs of the municipality’s sports clubs and to accommodate up to 550 children from nearby schools, the project effectively meets the many challenges of use. Particular attention is paid to PRM accessibility. The access to the changing rooms as well as to the 45×22 meter room are studied and adapted for this purpose. The flexibility and modularity of the architecture respond to the various uses. The room can be divided into 3 courts with scrolling partitions. Games, sports, fun and movement are all incorporated in this unique construction. The plan of the building forms an ellipse that opens with prominent notches towards the west and towards the outer surfaces of the aquatic center. The 500 m2 of photovoltaic elements integrated into the roof support the central heating in supplying the necessary energy. Large round skylights in the roof illuminate the central hall of the building. On the ground floor are the individual pools, two slides and the sauna and wellness area. On the first floor are the administration, the gastronomy with an external and an internal restaurant as well as the fitness center. The supporting construction is a classic concrete structure with an additional wall. The outer facade has been opened with aluminium shingles. Due to the large span of 40 meters and the problem of chlorinated air, the roof construction was made of glued laminated timber and gives the external shape to the building. Wood was the only material that could meet the architectural and economic requirements and was the only one that could create a space with a minimum of pillars. With the filigree wooden structures along the walls and between the pillars, the building appears, despite its size, impressively light. Inside, the large, upholstered wall cladding in burgundy red give the building a unique character and create color accents in the space. The soft materiality of the imitation leather on the walls contrasts with the rather hard materials used for the floor, such as concrete and mosaic tiles.
Architecture
A cut amethyst, characterized by an insignificant appearance and a unique and fascinating inner life, was the inspiration for the design. Thus the building created presents itself on the side of the industrial area as a closed volume that invites to look closer and excites curiosity to discover the interior. On the side of the residential area, the ellipse-shaped structure opens up thanks to large glass surfaces and reveals the interior with all its sumptuous colors.
