The Schwaketenbad, a new aquatic center designed by Behnisch Arkitekten in the German city of Konstanz near the Swiss border, is intended to appeal to a wide variety of visitors. The indoor complex is geared toward families, school groups, competitive swimming clubs, and recreational users. Replacing a 1980s facility that burned down in 2015, the Schwaketenbad has an expansive program, with two six-lane, 25-meter-long pools, dedicated pools for swim instruction and diving, and a wading pool for those who don’t swim at all. It has areas for splashing about, such as a water playground with an adjacent toddler pool, and two water slides that snake out and back into the building. It even has spa-like amenities: a warm-water pool, a steam bath, and a “sauna” room heated by infrared light.

Schwaketenbad is located on the forest-flanked outskirts of Konstanz, a small city in Baden-Württemberg located on the banks of Germany’s largest lake. Photo © David Matthiessen