Schwäbisch Gmünd Municipal Swimming Pool Competition

Multi-phase commission: “New Municipal Swimming Pool”

Office of Urban Development, Markplatz 1, 73529 Schwäbisch Gmünd

Within the sensitive fabric of Schwäbisch Gmünd’s old town, the new construction of the municipal swimming pool is conceived as a contemporary transformation of the historic model. Instead of a reconstructive copy, a structure is created that takes up the original volume and spatial effect and translates them into a reduced, contemporary architectural language.

The main building along the street and the side wing facing the schoolyard are oriented according to the historical layout, while adjustments to the structure and access meet current requirements. The façade reinterprets the structure of the Neo-Renaissance style, combining classical order with design restraint.

Remnants of the former municipal baths are integrated into the new building, creating a material connection to the site’s history. At the heart of the development is a hammam serving as a public gathering place, complemented by a café, office spaces, and apartments.

The design strengthens the urban space through a clear sequence of plazas and is conceived as a further development of the historic structure—bridging memory and the present.

Project team: Jens Jakob Happ, Emad Lajevardi