VALVERDE SWIMMING CENTER
Redevelopment of the swimming pool area and adjoining facilities
Located in the heart of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, the Valverde recreational complex offered a series of services to the young people of the local community over the years, such as summer swimming pools, restaurants, pub, and amusement arcade. After a period of neglect, the new owners decided to breathe new life into these spaces, starting with the redevelopment of the swimming pool area, the annexed changing rooms, and the sports fields, as part of a larger development master plan, scheduled for the next few years. The intention is to offer a complete renewed leisure centre, with areas dedicated to recreation, sports, relaxation and camping.
The overall area of the park covers approximately 7 hectares, located along the axis of the Reno River on the hydrographic right. On it stands a building from the 1970s, which has undergone repeated interventions over the years. This chaotic process has resulted in an inconsistent building body in an obvious state of disrepair. In April, the complex changed ownership, and the resulting challenge was clear: design and build the new multifunctional centre in less than three months, to make it fully operating for summer season.
The project envisaged the complete redevelopment of the changing rooms and services attached to the swimming pools to make them suitable for current standards and regulations. The changing room was therefore developed as an open space, equipped with rotating cabins and two toilets symmetrical to the main volume. This gives access to the outdoor summer area, dedicated to the swimming pools.
The design for the swimming pools included raising the floor of the main pool, so that it would be always accessible for recreation, and the resurfacing of both pools. An exotic wood deck was added at the head of the large pool to create a platform that can be used by both pool users and operators during summer courses and scheduled activities. The boundary of the pools has been moved outwards, to widen and combine the pools area, and a green low height hedge marks the division between it and the outdoor paths. The latter were also completely redesigned, modifying the paths, surfaces and adding lighting along and in the remaining areas of the park.
