Stegermatt leisure baths, Offenburg
Chemistry to build on
Project New-build leisure baths with ten pools, sauna park and wellness suite Use of Sopro system solutions for all waterproofing and tiling works Pools rendered with Sopro SBP 474 Ceramics and fittings in outdoor pool installed with two-component, S2-grade adhesives
Signboard Design practice
4a Architekten GmbH, Stuttgart
Applicator
Fliesen Röhlich GmbH, Wendelstein
Client
Town of Offenburg
Contract volume
Approx. 10,000 m²
Completion
August 2017
Products Sopro SBP 474 swimming pool render Sopro DSF 523 one-component flexible sealing slurry Sopro TDS 823 two-component turbo sealing slurry Sopro's No.1 flexible tile adhesive (order no. 400) Sopro's No.1 rapid-set flexible tile adhesive (order no. 404) Sopro MEG 667 megaFlex TX highly flexible tile adhesive Sopro TFb high-strength tile grout Sopro FEP epoxy tile grout Sopro BH 869 construction resin
Stegermatt leisure baths, Offenburg I www.sopro.com
www.sopro.com
Finished scheme
Stegermatt leisure baths, Offenburg I www.sopro.com
Finished scheme
Finished scheme
Stegermatt leisure baths, Offenburg I www.sopro.com
Finished scheme
Finished scheme
Stegermatt leisure baths, Offenburg I www.sopro.com
Finished scheme
Construction phase
Stegermatt leisure baths, Offenburg I www.sopro.com
Construction phase
Stegermatt leisure baths, Offenburg I www.sopro.com
Construction phase
Stegermatt leisure baths, Offenburg I www.sopro.com
Stegermatt leisure baths, Offenburg
Spacious adventure and relaxation oasis directly in town centre
The summer of 2017 witnessed the culmination of more than eight years of planning and over two years of construction with the official inauguration of the Stegermatt leisure baths in Offenburg in the German Federal State of Baden-Württemberg. The "town-centre adventure and relaxation oasis" scheme necessitated the performance of extensive waterproofing and tiling works covering an approximate area of 10,000 m2. The design and applicator teams opted for the use of products from Sopro Bauchemie GmbH's trade range. In 2009, the local council and authorities of the town of Offenburg faced a price tag of over € 15 million if they decided to refurbish the existing outdoor baths, dating from 1937, and the indoor swimming pool, which had been completed in 1972. This unfavourable prospect led to the idea of building a new combined indoor/outdoor baths facility that would cater for swimmers the whole year round. The distinguished Stuttgartbased architectural practice 4a Architekten, which boasts a long track record in swimming pool developments, was commissioned to draw up the design.
Perfect integration of leisure baths in landscape setting An exploration of the emotional impact of spaces, i.e. the interaction of architecture and landscape, is always a prominent feature in the designs of 4a Architekten. In response to the idyllic parkland site of the new leisure baths in Offenburg's Bürgerpark, the architect used, among other things, the "undulating movement" of the building's timber louvre ceiling to underline the integration of the pool halls in their landscape setting. The complex comprises three distinct building elements that mirror the three functions – leisure, sport and wellness. Visitors reach the pool halls, separate sauna suite and, in the summer months, the outdoor pool via a transparently designed, double-height entrance lobby. The pool hall area is split into two zones: the leisure pool, with a direct link to the outdoor pool and catering facilities, lies to the north-east while the sports pool occupies the south-eastern corner. The designers attached particular priority to supreme standards of workmanship and the creation of an "atmospheric" environment. A further striking feature of the interior is its lavish use of colour accents and patterned materials, though always as part of a harmonious choreography: fair-faced concrete and wood, for
example, are juxtaposed with colour tiles and steel sculptures. The high quality awareness of client and design team is in evidence throughout the building, e.g. in the curvilinear timber ceiling to the pool halls, in the glass lockers in the changing rooms and, quite generally, through the use of high-grade materials. The atmosphere in the Stegermatt leisure baths is further enhanced by the specification of tiled finishes for all pools and the conscious decision to dispense with stainlesssteel pools, even outdoors.
Sopro DSF 523, the flexible, one-component, cementitious sealing slurry specified for the indoor areas, is likewise used to install crack-bridging waterproof membranes. It is suitable for internal applications (e.g. showers, washrooms, toilets and swimming pools) under DIN 18534 Part 3 for water action classes W0-I "Low", W1-I "Moderate", W2-I "High" and W3-I "Very high" as well as under DIN 18535 Part 3 for water action class W1-B. The vapour-permeable, low-chromate material allows roller, trowel, brush and spray application.
Sopro swimming pool system specified throughout for extensive substrate preparation, waterproofing and tiling works
Two-component tile adhesive for absolute reliability
Tried-and-tested Sopro products tailored to swimming pool applications were specified for all substrate preparation, waterproofing and tiling works at the new Stegermatt leisure baths – in the indoor and outdoor pools, including pool edge and deck areas, overflow tanks and showers, and in all other moisture-exposed areas. Any uneven substrates in the pool wall and edge areas were levelled out using Sopro SBP 474, a sag-resistant, rapid-set swimming pool render and filler. The composition of this PCC mortar, which is without hydrated lime admixtures, complies with the ZDB (Federation of the German Construction Industry) data sheet "Swimming pool construction – Guidance on design and workmanship for ceramic coverings in swimming pools". Sopro SBP 474 is used to produce level, plumb and true substrates for the subsequent installation of a waterproof membrane and ceramic, natural stone or cast stone coverings. The low-chromate material can be applied as a levelling render in 3 – 30 mm coat thicknesses to even out surfaces in swimming pools and similar water-retaining structures. The standards-compliant waterproofing works in the above areas were performed using the (twocomponent) Sopro TDS 823 and (one-component) Sopro DSF 523, both of which are high-performance, flexible, cementitious sealing slurries used to install crack-bridging waterproof membranes. Sopro TDS 823 is highly flexible and rapid-setting, making it ideal for outdoor applications. Apart from swimming pools, it is suitable for use in all wet spaces as well as on balconies and patios. Most notably, as a two-component system, it ensures weather-independent drying. Based on Sopro MicroGum® technology, the sealing slurry also excels by its very low consumption rate, creamy consistency and smooth workability.
In the outdoor areas, the high-grade tile coverings from Agrob Buchtal's special swimming pool range were installed with Sopro MEG 667, a highly flexible, sag-resistant, rapid-set, two-component, cementitious tile adhesive (meeting C2 FT S2 requirements to DIN EN 12004). Sopro MEG 667 offers extremely high adhesion strengths coupled with maximum flexibility (grade S2 to DIN EN 12004, deformability ≥ 5 mm). The stress-relieving effect of the mortar matrix makes it particularly suitable for outdoor applications, for young concrete substrates, for newly laid, unheated cement screeds and where the adhesive system is subject to enhanced flexibility requirements. Its very low water absorption guarantees high, long-term frost resistance – which was one of the decisive factors for its specification on this project. All indoor tiling works were performed using Sopro's No.1 or Sopro's No.1 rapid-set, both of which are tried-and-tested, high-coverage, highly deformable, cementitious, highly polymermodified, S1-grade flexible tile adhesives (meeting C2 TE S1 requirements to DIN EN 12004). The joints in the coverings were finished with Sopro TFb, a high-strength, rapid-set, trass-bearing, cementitious tile grout for extra-heavy-duty applications and 3 – 30 mm joint widths. The use of Mikrodur® microcement in conjunction with special additives lends the grout its dense, highstrength microstructure, thereby guaranteeing high mechanical strength and abrasion resistance. This makes it particularly suitable for joints subject to high mechanical loads in workshops, washing facilities, catering kitchens, industrial facilities and swimming pools. Moreover, the grout's trass content eliminates the risk of efflorescence. The tiling works were performed by Fliesen Röhlich GmbH. Managed by master tiler Martin Röhlich, the family business from Wendelstein in Stegermatt leisure baths, Offenburg I www.sopro.com
central Franconia has, in recent years, established itself as one of Germany's biggest tiling contractors. Now employing almost 300 tile and natural stone layers, it specializes in the prompt and expert performance of large-scale national projects. Throughout the project period, from design to completion, Sopro's Project Consulting team was at hand to provide the design practice and contractor with advice and support.