50 years after its inauguration, the Alster swimming pool (Alsterschwimmhalle) was extensively renovated, remodelled and extended.

Like Sydney

The cere­mo­nial reope­ning of the Alster­schwimm­halle will take place on November 24, 2023. As one of Europe’s largest shell buil­dings, the indoor swim­ming pool, desi­gned by archi­tects Horst Niessen, Rolf Störmer, Walter Neuhäusser, and the engi­neer Jörg Schlaich, is an outstan­ding example of Hamburg’s post-war archi­tec­ture.

At the time, the concrete shell roof, which consists of two hyper­bolic para­bo­loid shells carried by three supports, reminded Hamburg’s citi­zens of the Sydney Opera House – and since then, has been lovingly nick­named “Schwimm­oper” (“Swim­ming Opera”). The spec­ta­cular shell roof, the enormous inte­rior with the 50-meter pool, and the facade cons­truc­tion were retained. At the same time, the sports faci­li­ties were compre­hen­si­vely rede­si­gned for the first time and supple­mented with contem­po­rary addi­tions.

Under monument protection

Origi­nally, the Alster­schwimm­halle was cons­tructed as a compe­ti­tion venue but over time it became a leisure pool for the general public. Despite its 400,000 visi­tors in 2014, for finan­cial reasons closure of the pool, demo­li­tion, and cons­truc­tion of a new modern buil­ding was under discus­sion.

In coope­ra­tion with schlaich berger­mann partner (sbp), gmp deve­loped a feasi­bi­lity study that became the basis for the decision to retain and refur­bish the buil­ding.

A key element in this decision was the fact that the spec­ta­cular roof had been given listed status. Cove­ring a floor area of 4,500 square meters, the roof – which is only 8 centi­me­ters thick and held up by three diagonal support struts — soars to a height of 24 meters at its tips. Two of the three support points are linked via a tie beam beneath the swim­ming pool. With spans of up to 96 meters, the roof is still one of the largest of its kind in the world.