There are few public swimming pools that can match the new Waterfront Culture Center in Copenhagen for wackiness.
When it’s built, bathers will find themselves paddling and drifting among huge brick pyramid structures that are connected by elevated see-through channels, with pools terraced down to the sea.
Renderings released for the complex reveal how it has a definite sci-fi feel.
A competition was held to find the best design for the building, which will be on Paper Island, and it was won by Kengo Kuma & Associates, from Japan.
The firm said it wanted to ‘highlight the significance of water in the history, culture and vibrant urban life in Copenhagen’.
To achieve this it will ‘create an experience, and not just a standalone object, in the form of the landscape, art and architecture that are unified and defined by the water’.
It added: ‘Landscaping the ground plane in terracing and cascading manner creates expansive, continuous perception of water surface from indoor all the way to the harbor.
‘Each pool has distinctive space in the almost exaggerated scale with concentrated light and shadow through large skylights above.’
Copenhagen city said in a statement: ‘The project creates a unique connection between land and sea and genuinely fulfils the city of Copenhagen’s vision of bringing something completely new and unique to Copenhagen and Paper Island.’
The aquatic centre will cover 5,000 square metres and feature indoor and outdoor pools, along with wellness and sports facilities.
It’s due for completion in 2021 and will transform Paper Island, an artificial landmass that is currently semi disused.
Kengo Kuma’s other designs include the V&A Museum of Design Dundee in Scotland and the stadium for the Tokyo Olympics.
