PISCINE BALNÉO-SPORTIVE
LARUNS - FRANCE
Programme
Construction of a recreational and sports pool complex featuring a 25-meter, 4-lane pool—a 130 m² teaching pool—a 200 m² outdoor Nordic-style spa pool, a 125 m² wellness area with a sauna, steam room,cryotherapy pool, sensory showers, salt cave, massage rooms, and landscaped outdoor deck areas.
Client
VILLE DE LARUNS
Area
1,800 m²Landscape Areas : 1,700 m²
Cost
7,1 M€
Scope
Full Service
Schedule
Competition winner 2023 Studies in progress Delivery due 2026
Environment
Team
Lead architect : SUD architectes
Associate architect : AGS Architecture
Structural engineer, Building services (MEP) engineer, Thermal engineering, Cost consultancy, Drainage engineering, Construction scheduling & coordination : Gruet Ingenierie
Acoustics consultant : Delhom
Environmental engineering : Eodd Ingenieurs Conseils
Landscape architect : Julie Poirel
Project management assistance : AM Sport Conseil
Agence Publique de Gestion Locale
3D visualization : Vincent Atelier
In Laruns, in the heart of the Ossau Valley, the sports and wellness pool project is designed to harmonize closely with the vast Pyrenean landscape and the site’s natural dynamics. The design offers a contemporary interpretation of vernacular architecture, based on simple, clear forms adapted to climatic and environmental challenges.
The large hall serves as the project’s unifying element. It brings together the sports and recreational pools within a unified space, whose layout naturally follows the curves of the Gave d’Ossau, embedding the building within the site’s geography. This orientation strengthens the connection between architecture and landscape.
The wellness and spa area complements this, offering a variety of pathways and uses, with open views of the surrounding peaks, notably the Pic du Ger. This constant visual connection anchors the experience within an exceptional natural environment.
The environmental approach, deliberately undertaken without certification, is based on a comprehensive optimization of the building’s energy performance. The building envelope is designed to reduce thermal requirements and ensure economical and efficient operation.
The project harnesses renewable energy, combining solar power generation with a connection to a wood-fired boiler, while incorporating water and energy recovery systems. Water management is complemented by a phytoremediation pond, which contributes to natural water treatment.
The hall’s wooden structure and the use of materials sourced from local suppliers reinforce the project’s regional roots. Together, these elements create an architecture that is functional, sustainable, and deeply connected to its landscape, where technology and nature are in constant harmony.
