Swimming pool buildings photos, modern thermal baths architects, Aquatic designs images

Swimming Pool Buildings : Aquatic Architecture

New Aquatic Sports Developments + Pools from around the world.

post updated 6 February 2026

The most famous pool in recent years was the Water Cube for the 2010 Olympics. Naturally the Aquatics Centre for the 2014 Olympics will also be notable, though compromised in architectural design.

Swimming Pool Architecture

e-architect select what we consider to be the important examples of Swimming Pool Architecture. We aim to include Swimming Pool buildings / projects that are either of top quality or interesting.

We cover completed Swimming Pool buildings, new building designs and architectural exhibitions. Our spotlight is on contemporary Pool buildings but information on traditional aquatic buildings is also welcome.

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Swimming Pool Building Designs

Modern Aquatic Architecture News arranged chronologically:

12 Dec 2023
Češča Vas Pool Complex, Novo Mesto, Slovenia
Design: Enota architects

photo : Miran Kambič
Cesca Vas Pool Complex, Novo Mesto
New pool complex Češča vas is located in a space dominated by the existing, recently renovated velodrome. It is the architects’ preference not to drastically alter the spatial relationships with the erection of the new swimming pool facility as it would introduce disorder that the space could do without, and further saturate it.

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19 May 2013
Swimming pool K, Grimbergen, Flanders, Belgium
Design: dmvA

photo : Frederik Vercruysse
Swimming Pool in Belgium
The architects describe this design thus: “although the principal dreamt for years of a swimming pool in his small garden, he chose to renovate his 17th century gentleman’s house first. While the contractors were about to start the works, the uninhabited school building, adjoining his garden, was offered for sale”.

6 Mar 2013
Piscine Tourcoing, northeast France
Design: Mikou Design Studio

picture from architect office
Tourcoing Swimming Pool Building
The architectural scheme aims to take advantage of this special urban setting through facilitating a variety of viewpoints of the building by breaking up the mass of the swimming pool hall. This alternation and modulation of volumes lightens the built mass by a play of visual counterpoints and opens the perception of depth towards the middle of the building.

6 Mar 2013
Piscine du Fort, Paris, northern France
Design: Mikou Design Studio

picture from architect
Issy-les-Moulineaux Swimming Pool

7 Feb 2013
Emser Therme – Thermal Baths in Bad Ems, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

photo © David Matthiessen
Thermal Baths Buildings
4a Architekten extend their bathing repertoire: The Bad Ems Thermal Baths proves itself with its distinct character and high standards of comfort.

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17 Sep 2012
Aqua Leisure Center in Val de Scarpe, Arras, north east France
Design: SAREA Alain Sarfati Architecture

photo © ADAGP photographe Noelle Hoeppe
Aqua Leisure Center Arras
The Aqua Leisure Center in Val de Scarpe, Arras “puts a new twist on age-old pleasures, like a modern Tivoli”. After Quimper, Béthune, Laon and Bordeaux, S.AREA Alain Sarfati Architecture presents Aquarena.

23 Jul 2012
Koç Primary School Swimming Pool, Istanbul, Turkey
Erginoğlu & Çalışlar Architecture

picture from architects firm
Koç School Swimming Pool
Considerably distant from the city center, the Koç School sprawled across its property without a master plan over time and thus was faced with the consequences of this expansion. Envisaged as the focal point of the campus, the pool building is designed as a pacesetter for the quality of future buildings and thus strives to contribute towards the architectural development of the campus.

23 Jul 2012
Ametlla de Mar, Catalunya, north east Spain
Design: Pich-Aguilera Architects

photo : Simon Garcia • arqfoto
Catalonian Swimming Pool Building
The building consists of three rectangular buildings joined up by a lobby. The natural environment is built around the swimming pool.

22 Jun 2012
The Hurlingham Club, Outdoor Pool, London, England, UK
Design: David Morley Architects

photo : Jarosław Wieczorkiewicz
The Hurlingham Club, Outdoor Pool
RIBA Awards 2012 Winner
The Outdoor Pool was commissioned to replace a pool complex started 80 years ago, now dilapidated but still much-loved by its members. The new changing room building is larger than the original and adopts an elongated tear shape; it has long horizontal proportions, blue painted clap-board walls with white doors and pool accessories such as the large clock and life-saving rings.

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21 Apr 2011
C.N.I. Syrdall Schwemm Recreational Baths, Niederanven, Luxembourg
Design: 4a Architekten

picture : 4a Architekten
C.N.I. Syrdall Schwemm Recreational Baths
The new Syrdall Schwemm school and recreational baths in Niederanven has numerous attractions to offer, not only with its extensive range of bathing options – the sight of the distinctively designed building alone is food for discussion.

15 Aug 2011
London Olympics Aquatics Centre, England, UK
Design: Zaha Hadid Architects

photo : Hufton + Crow
London Aquatics Centre
The architectural concept of the London Aquatic Centre is inspired by the fluid geometries of water in motion, creating spaces and a surrounding environment that reflect the riverside landscapes of the Olympic Park. An undulating roof sweeps up from the ground as a wave.

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Major Swimming Pool Building Design

Water Cube Beijing, China
Design: PTW with Arup

photo © Arup_Ben McMillan
National Aquatics Centre – Water Cube
Beijing Olympics Venue
ETFE bubble-pattern façade – Architecture Competition win 2003.

photo © Arup_Ben McMillan

The National Aquatics Centre, also known as the ‘Water Cube’, will be one of the most dramatic and exciting sporting venues for the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. Enclosed within the blue bubble walls are five swimming pools, including a wave machine and rides and a restaurant, along with seating and facilities for 17 000 spectators.

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Modern Pool Buildings

Featured Contemporary Pool Architecture Designs, alphabetical:

Annemasse Aquatic Centre, France
Design: Serero Architects

image from architect
Annemasse Aquatic Centre Building

Canterbury School Aquatic Center, USA
Design: Butler Rogers Baskett Architects

image from architect
Canterbury School Aquatic Center, Milford

Kalvebod swimming pool, Copenhagen, Denmark
Design: PLOT / BIG

photo © Adrian Welch
Copenhagen Swimming Pool Building

Kildeskovshallen, Gentofte, Denmark
Design: Entasis

image from architect
Gentofte Swimming Pool Building

Lago Segrino building, northern Italy
Design: Studio di architettura Marco Castelletti

photo : Filippo Simonetti – Brunate
Lago Segrino bathing establishment

Marinha Grande Swimming Pools, Portugal
2008

picture from architects
Marinha Grande Swimming Pools

Oostduinkerke Swimming Pool, Belgium
Design: Dierendonckblancke architecten

image from architect
Oostduinkerke Swimming Pool

Swimming Pool het Marnix, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Design: Mecanoo architecten

photo © Adrian Welch
Amsterdam Sports building, Holland

More Aquatic architecture projects online soon.

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Aquatic Architecture

Other Modern Aquatic Facilities, alphabetical:

Kastrup Sea Bath, Copenhagen, Denmark
White Arkitekter

photo : Åke E:son Lindman

Olympic Swimming Arena, Berlin, Germany
1999
Dominique Perrault Architectes

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Sports Building Developments

Swimming pool design for a brilliant outdoor landscape

Commonwealth Swimming Pool architect

Buildings / photos for the New Swimming Arena Architecture Designs page welcome.