m3
Berlin have a hidden treasure of architectural curiosities
that History has spread out into a huge urban park. With their
rehabilitation and reconversion, we can go further than the
representation of the existing.
We take advantage of the free
spirit of Berlin to find a new Imaginary, like a kind of Dadaïsme
movement. We transform uses and shift the vision of the heritage.
We take as an example an unused building : the tribune of the
old autodrome AVUS that means “traffic and road training”. Built
in 1909, it welcomes Formula one GP in 1959. Since the end of
the 90’s, only a few number of automobile races have taken place.
The design of the track disappears behind the Highway A115, and
nowadays it is completely digested by the city, indeed disused.
Our project aims to keep the building open to public, as it was
already, through a new function : a swimming pool. Located at the
West of Berlin, it is accessible by cycles ways, due to the existing
roads, and also by the S-Bahn with two big stations. This new
equipment is included in a part of the city developpment, with for
exemple The City Cube, a new Exposition Center at this time under
construction.
Our proposal consists in water filling the tribune that creates a
new plane at the top row of seatings, after removing the existing
wooden roof and its metallic structure. It’s a way to preserve the
architectural qualities of this building. On one hand, we save the
concrete construction, and in the other hand, all the removed
materials can be recycled. For example, the steel is transformed
into metallic stairs for new vertical access.
The swimming-pool m3 presents different sizes of pool : three
for the 25m length, one for the 50m length, one for the jump,
two smaller for childrens, and a special 240m swimming line that
correspond to the tribune length. Halfway was located the old
control tower. After removing the cabin, this place without tiers is
adapted to a plunge area thanks to enough depth. The new high
platform also creates a signal on this infinite water line.
The old hall behind the tribune is still used as a opened public
area, without any gate. The changing rooms take place under the
tiers, and are designed like individual cabin, where people can lock
their bicycle and arrange their affair. Water basins announce each
entrance of the pool, with also showers before swimming, then
climbing the stairs and arriving from below at the water surface. On
this roof-top, people can swim above the cars flow, and admirate
the skyline of Berlin at the same time.
