Swimming in the open air is a favourite summer pastime. But in the cooler seasons, swimming enthusiasts normally have to go indoors – unless they live in Karlsruhe. The Fächerbad there has recently opened a spectacular swimming pool with sliding roof. Under the direction of R+P Architekten Karlsruhe the existing building was refurbished, transformed and enlarged. The result is impressive – not least thanks to the high-quality tiles from Villeroy & Boch, which create a genuine wellness atmosphere in the area around the pool.

Swimming in the open air – even outside of the summer bathing season

Open-air swimming protected from the rain: the well-lit Cabrio pool is completely glazed and has sliding doors offering direct access to the generous outdoor area. With its theme of fresh air when the sun is shining and cover-up in the rain, the pool is converted in the summer and on nice days in the mid-seasons into an open-air space with pleasant temperatures and little wind. There are two pools. The competition pool with six 25-metre lanes and a depth of 2.5 metres, making it ideal for training and competitions, including a spectator area. And there is a new learners’ pool for workouts and swimming lessons. The changing area has shared changing facilities, lockable cabinets, disabled changing rooms, changing cubicles and showers.

Pleasantly warm and contrasting tiles

The adjacent seating area for around 300 people offers plenty of room for relaxing – even on changeable summer days. The warm atmosphere is provided by tiles from Villeroy & Boch from the professional PRO ARCHITECTURA range, whose soft sand colour gives the floor a wonderful and pleasant warmth. The ceramic tiles are also highly practical, because they are nonslip, hardwearing, easy to clean and hygienic. A nice contrast is created by the dark tiles from the PURE LINE porcelain stoneware range, whose modern design combines the purist feel of silky matt concrete with a variety of structures. The elaborate laying patterns with different formats creates an interesting and diversified effect.

The enlargement of the Fächerbad makes an addition to the existing building from the 1980s, taking account of the natural surroundings and trees. The new pool fits perfectly into the structure, rectangular shape and functionality of the existing building and adds a modern touch: the new swimming pool is connected to the existing 50 metre indoor pool, follows its alignment and continues the already present architectural concept.