A groundbreaking new swimming facility has opened in Leipzig's Neustadt district, showcasing how modern architecture can combine functional sports infrastructure with environmental responsibility. The Sportbad am Rabet, designed by renowned architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp), represents a significant advancement in modular construction techniques while meeting the demanding Passive House energy efficiency standard.
The 4,853-square-meter facility, completed in 2025, serves multiple user groups including schools, sports clubs, and recreational swimmers. Located strategically on Otto-Runki-Platz between the busy Eisenbahnstraße traffic corridor and the adjacent Rabet Park, the building creates a new social hub that brings together people of all ages and backgrounds while enhancing the spatial quality of the urban environment.
The architectural design emphasizes transparency and community connection through its distinctive facade treatment. Light-colored fair-faced concrete combines with extensive floor-to-ceiling glazing at the base level, creating visual connections between the interior and exterior spaces. This transparency serves as a means of communication with the urban context, making the swimming facility a visible and integral part of city life rather than an isolated structure.
"In a number of ways, the Sportbad am Rabet sets an example for how to build simply in our time," emphasizes Stephan Schütz, Executive Partner at gmp. The architects developed an innovative modular system using fair-faced exterior and interior exposed concrete elements with integrated insulation that were precisely prefabricated in factories and assembled on-site with exact fits. This efficient construction method not only resulted in a clearly structured and striking building form but also significantly reduced noise and emissions during the construction process.
The facility's interior maintains the same material consistency found on the exterior, with glass and fair-faced concrete serving as defining elements throughout. Turquoise wall tiles create visual continuity by picking up and extending the horizontal lines of the fenestration. The swimming areas feature high ceilings that distinguish different zones, including a six-lane competition pool, a dedicated teaching pool, and a children's pool. Large skylights strategically positioned throughout the facility bring additional daylight to brighten the water surfaces and create a welcoming atmosphere.
Sustainability represents a core principle of the project, with the building designed to meet rigorous Passive House standards that support Leipzig's broader environmental goals. The extensively greened retention roof features a wildflower meadow specifically designed to support local insect populations, compensating for the open space lost to the building footprint while promoting natural drainage and delaying rainwater release. Advanced building systems include solar thermal energy collection, photovoltaic panels for electricity generation, and sophisticated water treatment systems that enable the reuse of pool water.
The building's modular rectangular units are separated by large-scale recesses and carefully positioned to border the northern and western edges of the square while preserving many existing trees to the south and east. The southeastern landscaped forecourt incorporates these mature trees and creates a seamless transition to the neighboring park, demonstrating how new construction can enhance rather than disrupt existing natural features.
The project team included extensive expertise across multiple disciplines, with site supervision by dellori deda Architects, structural engineering by HBI Hartwich Bernhardt Engineers, and HVAC systems designed by Bauconzept Planungsgesellschaft. Building physics consultation was provided by vRP von Rekowski and Partner, while landscape design was handled by Einenkel Landscape Architecture, ensuring comprehensive integration of all building systems and site elements.
The clear, restrained design philosophy focuses entirely on the facility's function as a sports pool, with the consistent reduction of materials and components to essentials serving as a guiding principle throughout the project. This approach effectively minimizes resource use while maintaining high performance standards and creating an environment that supports both competitive swimming and community recreation.
This modular, resource-efficient swimming facility demonstrates how thoughtful design and innovative construction methods can achieve multiple objectives simultaneously: urban and social integration, user-oriented functionality, and environmental sustainability. The project serves as a model for future public infrastructure projects seeking to balance community needs with ecological responsibility while maintaining high architectural standards.
