The Nantes architecture agency Raum is appointed(1) for the design of the future Bougainville municipal swimming pool which is due to open to the public in spring 2027 north of Marseille. Located on a plot of approximately 2,700 m22 in the Bellevue district, at the entrance to Bougainville Park currently being developed within the Euroméditerranée national interest operation, it will offer the people of Marseille two pools (one for sports, one for learning) and a paddling pool with games. Closed, the equipment will be equipped with a green outdoor solarium.
On June 24, the public development establishment Euroméditerranée (EPAEM), which will ensure project management of the operation on behalf of the Citystated that the project presented by the architects of Raum “was able to convince by the quality of the atmosphere of the interior spaces, its functionality and also by its integration (…) into its environment”.
In a site undergoing urban renewal
Its location, in a site undergoing urban renewal in the heart of the Cité de la Méditerranée ZAC, requires taking into account the components that surround it to create the expected quality living space. Because, in addition to the park, it will adjoin the metro hopper, the Bellevue city, a degraded co-ownership, and, finally, the Free Docks real estate complex developed by Nexity on an industrial wasteland. The hall housing the pools will, for example, open onto the park below. Entrance will be from an 80 m square2 at the top of the street. “The user will enter from the top, then go down towards the pools which open to the west,” explains architect Julien Perraud.
Structural stone
Designed as a pavilion drowned in vegetationthe building, which will lean into the slope, will be characterized by its concrete base et sa emerging part made with structural stone. “In the spirit of Mediterranean architecture, we worked on solids and voids, as well as seeking to find consistency between constructive devices and the quality of local stonein this case we chose that of Vers dans le Gard », continues the architect.
Closed, the swimming pool will have a sports pool, another for learning and a paddling pool. © Raum
To reduce water and energy consumption as much as possible equipment connected to the thalassothermy networkproject management counts rationalize glass surfaces to avoid the phenomenon of overheating, favor natural ventilation and set up a economical water filtration system (i.e. 70-80 l/per bather compared to 120-130 l/bather for a classic swimming pool). “With the landscape agency Until then, project manager of Bougainville Park, we will also study how to set up systems to reuse dechlorinated water and thus water the park », he adds.
Semop for the North and Luminy swimming pools
The future swimming pool will make up for a shortage in the Marseille city where the situation is particularly critical with a below-average level of equipment. The success rate for the “Know how to swim safely” test for middle grade 2 studentse year is 56% compared to 88% nationally.
The project is also part of a municipal swimming pool modernization plan. In fact, it is also part of the ongoing consultation for designate the operator with whom the City will partner within a mixed economy company with a single operation (Semop) which will create, finance, operate and manage two water sports complexes built in place of existing disused swimming pools: one in Luminy, south of Marseille, the other on Chemin de la Madrague-Ville in the northern districts. Their commissioning is planned for 2026. The total value of the concession which runs over 23 years is estimated at 204 million euros excluding tax., an amount which takes into account the city’s participations (110 million euros) and the concessionaire’s forecast turnover (83 million euros). For the City, the overall cost of these two operations is estimated at 120.45 million euros. The teams had until March 25 to submit their offers. Four will be retained.
(1) The three other teams invited to compete were led by the Dubuisson Architecture, Marc Mimram Architecture & Associés and Z Architecture agencies.
