Unusual renovation of architectural pearl

In Gentofte, the town’s old but beautiful indoor swimming pool, Kildeskovshallen, needs extensive renovation. After over 40 years of uninterrupted operation in the harsh environment a swimming pool creates, the concrete constructions in the pool and water treatment system are worn out. The municipality has therefore decided to ask the Danish Technological Institute to investigate and renovate the building and technical water treatment installations.

Kildeskovshallen was designed by the architect couple Karen and Arne Clemmensen and built in the period 1966-1972. It is different to other indoor swimming pools as it was built from high-quality materials, coupled with the fact that it also boasts works of art built into the construction. For example, there is a gigantic geometric abstract painting in the colours blue, white and red in the outdoor paddling pool. At the time it was built, the swimming pool was considered a very hi-tech building. Kildeskovshallen has therefore been assessed as having architectural value and today it is a listed building.

- We think of it as a kind of architectural pearl. Therefore in the forthcoming renovation work we have to preserve rather than alter it, which naturally means that we have to be extremely careful in both the project management and renovation phases, explains Frank G. Bennetsen from the centre for Swimming Pool Technology at the Danish Technological Institute.

The project is EU-tendered and the renovation phase itself is set for 2008 and 2009. The Danish Technological Institute’s role in this imminent major renovation project is to be in charge of project management and the tendering of the technical water treatment work. This involves extending and modernising the water treatment installations and the circulation systems for the three original pools. In addition, the existing sand filters require extensive renovation. The renovation work is to optimise the filter areas and cleaning capacity in accordance with the current norms and authorities’ requirements. The goal is to achieve elegant technical and energy-optimising solutions as well as providing more effective cleaning of the water in the building’s three original pools.