Municipal Pool Toro / Fri Architects

The building is the result of the proposal submitted to a public tender in 2004 by the City of Toro. Following the report, by the architects.

Our proposal to the municipal swimming pool Toro seeks to bring the city a new piece, assuming the representative image to be transmitted by building its public function, is able to integrate with dignity and, insofar as possible, spending special part of the city’s architectural heritage.

And therefore not in a position of prominence too, rather, naturally assuming the suggestions of an environment rich with history. Suggestions ranging from a wise use of earth materials provided to the expressiveness and forcefulness with which they deal with the volumes that make up the building.

Thus, the municipal pool wants to be an austere building, while retaining the language that is peculiar to the architecture of our time, will give continuity to the cultural legacy of expressive Toro.

To this end, it was considered appropriate to propose a highly symbolic element, forming the front of the plaza that would fall within the pool, sports center and health center.

The pool is defended from the weather outside and unwanted views by a perimeter wall of packed dirt that is defining the plot thereby closing the access area. On this wall emerge covered in the volumes of clothing, and suggests the vegetation of interior courtyards. The scale and layout of the building and the wall texture and color, but free of decorative elements, compositional patterns are present in the monumental architecture of Toro.

The closed nature and severe features outside the building contrasts with the image displayed as it crosses the threshold. The different areas where the program is divided have direct lighting and ventilation through a series of courtyards also allow visual inspection of the premises, making them transparent or opaque as desired. Also provide passive support to the thermal regulation, allowing natural ventilation from areas of shadow.

The largest site, which contains the pool basin, has to have strict control Hygrothermal conditions, so it minimizes the exchange with other areas and is treated as an independent volume compared to the rest of the complex.