Lakeside Baths Kaltern

The Kalterersee has a lakeside promenade and yet its protected reed beds mean that the lakeshore can only actually be reached in a few places. In order to not only retain the view of the lake and the surrounding mountains, but also double the breadth of this view in certain places and also create additional space, the new facility was positioned on the slope alongside the existing sunbathing lawn in the form of a partly floating sundeck. Here, the swimming pools draw attention to and optically enlarge the lake. Airy wooden pavilions enjoy panoramic views and can be visited by bathers and passers-by alike. In the pool, glass windows are cut into the floor, filling the covered open space below with the magical reflections of an aquarium.. The sundeck is made of cast stone and supported by seven cores with a range of different forms. Two of these penetrate the multipurpose pool above like rocky mountaintops, while also forming intimate naturally illuminated spaces that are occupied by facilities such as the whirlpool and the so-called ‘rain room’. . every corner of the building, which is also used for cultural events, is marked by the presence of the landscape and the surroundings, as exemplified by the way in which the broad open stair becomes a seating gallery for spectators.

Project
public swimming pool
Location
Italy
Completed in
May 2006
Client
Comune di Caldaro
Competition
1. Prize