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One of the major construction projects and at the same time one of the most important infrastructure projects in the science city of Darmstadt has been completed – the Nordbad will be inaugurated on Saturday, September 18th and will open to the public on Monday, September 20th.
The construction of the new indoor swimming pool took two and a half years and cost around 39 million euros. The total volume of the project, including the outdoor facility and outdoor pool building, is 47 million euros. The state of Hesse contributed with funding amounts of 1 million euros.
“The City of Science Darmstadt and its own businesses – Darmstädter Stadtentwicklungs GmbH (DSE) and Eigenbetrieb Bäder – are once again proving their capabilities,” said Mayor Jochen Partsch at the presentation of the building to the media on Friday, September 17th. “On the one hand, there is the building itself: with five pools and a total of 1,800 square meters of water, it sets new standards. On the other hand, it was possible to keep to the budgeted time and budget, even in an extremely difficult environment for construction. The Nordbad now fits in as a highlight in the diverse sports and recreational landscape of the Bürgerpark. And that is also the message of the building: Again and again and with great energy, the City of Science Darmstadt implements central public services projects: in school building, in the construction of daycare centers, at the clinic, in the expansion of ecologically responsible transport networks and, as here, in leisure facilities , culture and sport. “
With the announcement of the 2015 competition and the subsequent commissioning of Sacker Architects from Freiburg in 2016, the first planning for the new construction of the north pool had begun. The intensive draft and approval planning in coordination with the private baths, the state education authority and swimming clubs, especially the DSW, was completed in May 2017. The construction work began with the erection of the air dome above the DSW outdoor pool in August 2017. The north pool was demolished from October 2017 and the construction of the indoor pool began in February 2019.
“The inauguration of the Nordbad is a day of joy for the citizens, and for us it is a day of thanks – thanks to the planners and builders who have helped here,” emphasized Mayor Barbara Akdeniz. “The offer that is made to swimming fans – club athletes, recreational swimmers and school children – is a great addition to that of the other indoor pools, the Art Nouveau pool as well as the Bessungen district pool. Swimming is not just a leisure activity, it is an important part of school education and above all, as the pandemic teaches us, it is valuable for maintaining health and strengthening the immune system. That is why it was so important to have an alternative with the air dome during construction in winter – thanks for that too. “
The new 50 by 21 meter competition pool, the 25 by 16.75 meter multi-purpose pool with an integrated three-meter diving tower and an aquacross course, the exercise pool with dimensions of 12.5 by 8 meters, the teaching pool with the extension of 20 by 12 meters and the paddling area for small children will enable the future operation of the north swimming pool to have a multitude of exercise options, tailored to the different user groups.
“The architectural language of the new pool is a successful mixture of a functional sports pool and an inviting atmosphere for families who love swimming, school sports, courses and mass sports,” said Mayor Jochen Partsch. The planning and construction management team is responsible for this (architecture: Sacker Architekten GmbH, Freiburg, bathing water technology / HLS Ingenieurgesellschaft Bannert mbH, Bremen, construction management K + K Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH, Neckarsulm).
“The bathers can look forward to the bright and friendly ambience and the accessibility of the bath. Families can try out the new water course, especially on weekends. The area for small children has also become significantly larger and more attractive, ”praised Mayor Barbara Akdeniz.
The admission prices remain unchanged from the previous year. According to the Corona Protection Ordinance, a visit to the pool is currently only possible by prior appointment and with a negative ID (“3 G”). Tickets for the Nordbad can be purchased from September 18 via a new access system on the homepage of the city of Darmstadt (www.darmstadt.de).
It is also possible to purchase tickets in the bathroom for a later time slot. However, the in-house operation of the bathrooms asks you to use the online registration as a priority in order to avoid too much rush in the bathroom. In contrast to the outdoor pool season, up to eight uninterrupted time slots are offered daily.
The redesign of the sunbathing areas and the open spaces adjacent to the pools are the final measures for the overall Nordbad project. Complete completion is planned for the outdoor swimming pool season 2022. The DSW outdoor pool will be connected to the technology of the indoor pool over the winter half-year, will receive new functional buildings, and the outdoor facilities will be redesigned for the summer season 2022.
(Text: PM Science City Darmstadt)
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