Sportium

John’s design for a community indoor and outdoor pool and sports facility won an International Design Competition.

This project was to be constructed on a semi-industrial site to the north of the town of Nieuw Vennep—a new town a few miles from Amsterdam, very close to Schiphol airport.

The brownfield site was effectively contextless, though the design had to respond to proposed future neighbouring flats and a new town square in front of the sports building that were envisaged to follow.

The building was designed as a central linear spine of sporting accommodation—sub-dividable sports hall, two main pool halls, and an outdoor 25m pool with a strip of changing rooms along the front. The facilities were designed for public use but also specifically to work with an adjacent school, and this became one of the main design drivers.

Facing the future public town square is the café and a separate entrance to the outdoor pools contained in a dynamic sloping glazed façade.

Construction of the building was fascinating—being able to watch the Dutch construction team build swimming pools directly into the water table around Amsterdam. The ground floor of the building is already around 5m below sea level as it is.

As a finished sports facility, the building is heavily used all year round and much loved.