The Alster Swimming Hall in Hamburg, dating back to the late 1960s, is widely known far beyond the Hanseatic city for its distinctive architectural form. A special feature of the building is its unusual roof, which was designed over 50 years ago with the involvement of Jörg Schlaich. The impressively curved concrete shell consists of two hyperbolic paraboloids leaning against each other along their axis of symmetry. Although the shell’s footprint measures approximately 100 x 60 meters, its thickness is only 80 mm.
The swimming pool underwent extensive renovation and remodeling. Only concrete repair and maintenance work were carried out on the defining shell, preserving its original shape.
Inside the pool, almost all areas were adapted to a modern leisure and wellness facility. The grandstand of the former sports pool, as well as the entire northern functional area, were dismantled. In the newly constructed northern building section, additional pools were created alongside a main swimming area to offer visitors a wider range of amenities.
Due to heritage protection, few changes were made to the façade. Only the lattice supports were reinforced, and the glass panes were replaced to improve the façade’s energy efficiency.
