Now Bern unveils its state-of-the-art Neufeld swimming pool after three years of construction

– Now Bern has its swimming temple for everyone

The Neufeld swimming pool opens its doors on September 24th. What does the population expect after three years of construction?

Published today at 6:08 p.m

The Neufeld swimming pool is ready for the starting signal.

Foto: Franziska Rothenbühler

The Neufeld swimming pool took three years to build. This weekend the sports office will open for business. Mayor Alec von Graffenried (GFL) is visibly relieved at the media conference before the opening. “I have never had as much respect for a construction project as I did for the swimming pool in Neufeld,” he says.

The construction of indoor swimming pools is tricky and could result in high additional costs. Von Graffenried is all the more proud that the construction project was completed on time and within the set budget of 75.5 million francs.

New swimming gym in the city of Bern

The city of Bern is putting a new swimming gym into operation this weekend. In the large hall with its wave-like roof there is a 50-meter pool suitable for competitions, as well as diving facilities and an area with a teaching pool for children.

Now the building rises high and freshly constructed into the sky. The last little things around the house are being put in order. Blue foil protects the floor so everything shines when the bathroom is opened. On Saturday there is an open day with swimming shows and a tour of otherwise closed parts. Bathing operations start on Sunday.

What can visitors expect in Neufeld?

Bright, high rooms and lots of light

Facility manager Paul Tanner is convinced: “This is the most beautiful indoor swimming pool in Switzerland.” This is a personal but understandable opinion. The entrance area in other indoor swimming pools is usually dark and humid, with an old bar and artificial light. Not so in Neufeld.

“It is the most beautiful indoor swimming pool in Switzerland.”

Paul Tanner, plant manager

The entrance area is on a bridge from which you can already see the entire bathroom. On the right is the diving tower and whirlpools, on the left is the 50-meter pool, next to it is the children’s area with the learning pool, which is somewhat hidden. Light falls through the large windows onto the bathing area.

The windows and the many white tiles with which the bathroom is equipped make it appear bright. In addition to the tiles, a lot of exposed concrete was used, which creates a modern atmosphere. The 8.6 meter high ceiling was built in a wave shape.

The ceiling in Neufeld has a wave shape.

Foto: Franziska Rothenbühler

There is also a bistro that is different from the traditional indoor pool bistros. In Neufeld there are neither plastic chairs nor the smell of French fries. Instead, there is a hip café lounge with a terrace and a view of the tennis courts behind the hall.

Multifunctionality through technology

“We wanted a hall for everyone,” said Christian Bigler, head of the sports department, at the media conference. Accessibility is achieved by a pool lift. This means that people with walking difficulties can also use the indoor pool.

The changing rooms and showers can be adjusted as needed using screens. The cleaning staff can lock it at the push of a button so they can do their work in peace. Individual cabins can be reserved for school classes or clubs. In addition, the cabins can be written electronically for women, men or gender-neutral.

The changing rooms can be contacted electronically as required.

Foto: Franziska Rothenbühler

The 50-meter pool with its nine lanes is also multifunctional. Two motorized platforms allow the lanes to be divided. This turns a 50-meter swimming pool into two 25-meter swimming pools. Different depths also allow different uses in the same basin.

There is also space for children in the new indoor swimming pool.

Foto: Franziska Rothenbühler

This multifunctionality has an important advantage. Even when clubs train or swimming lessons are held for school classes, the public has at least half of the lanes to themselves.

Two whirlpools are also part of the Neufeld’s facilities.

Foto: Franziska Rothenbühler

Pools suitable for competition

With its dimensions, the new pool is in principle suitable for the Olympics – but summer games will hardly ever take place here. There isn’t enough space for that. However, spectators can watch smaller competitions on the balcony on the western long side of the 50-meter pool. If necessary, a grandstand for 350 additional spectators can be installed on the eastern one.

In addition, other water sports enthusiasts in Bern will also receive facilities suitable for competitions for the first time: For synchronized swimming, half of the 50-meter pool was built specifically with a depth of 2.50 instead of 2 meters, and this part of the pool can also be provided with sound using underwater loudspeakers if necessary.

The diving board can be used for competitions or for fun.

Foto: Franziska Rothenbühler

The high divers have jumping opportunities at one, three and five meter heights, and a large results display board has been installed for the water polo players and all other competitive users.

A sustainable bathing experience

“The swimming pool can serve as a role model ecologically,” says city architect Thomas Pfluger. For example, when it comes to water treatment: There are nine 6,500-liter tanks in the underground of the 50-meter pool in which the water for the pool is filtered and treated with chlorine. Only 16,000 liters of water are expected to have to be removed from the circulation per day and replaced with fresh water. The used water is used for flushing toilets, cleaning and sprinkling the football field, and the heat is also recycled.

“The swimming pool can serve as a role model ecologically.”

Thomas Pfluger, city architect

The 3,500 square meter photovoltaic system contributes to the exemplary character of the hall, which was built according to the Minergie P standard: with its annual production of around 575 megawatt hours, it covers the consumption of 190 households per year. In addition: The swimming pool does not have its own parking spaces – apart from three disabled parking spaces and two spaces for staff. The plan is for motorized guests to use the nearby Park and Ride Neufeld.

Dispute over cameras that detect people in distress

Actually, the Neufeld would also have state-of-the-art technology with artificial intelligence that detects drowning people. “If someone doesn’t move in the water or moves strangely, the system sounds an alarm,” explains Bigler from the sports department. They don’t have to recognize people, they just record movement patterns. If something unusual occurs, the lifeguard receives a message on their watch. “The technology does not replace lifeguards, but it can provide support,” Bigler makes clear.

The AI ​​cameras could detect drowning people. They are not yet operational.

Foto: Franziska Rothenbühler

The cameras are not yet in use at the moment. Although they are already attached to the hall ceiling, they are switched off and covered. The reason for this is data protection. “The investigations are still ongoing, but we assume that operation is possible,” says Bigler.

Further background texts about the new swimming poolLisa Kwasny is a newly qualified sociologist and philosopher. She is doing an internship at the Berner Zeitung.More informationAndreas Weidmann has been an editor and producer since 2009; He previously worked for the SDA news agency for nine years.More information

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2023-09-22 16:36:28
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