The Nauticaa water sports facility in Liévin, France, was built in the 1960s and has been extended numerous times over the years. The central task of the competition was to bring out the character of the original design again, to reorganise the processes and to bring out the special atmosphere of the baths through the renovation. In terms of urban planning, the redesign of the water sports facility should create a landmark with great impact for the Vivalley campus in the centre of Liévin, as well as for the entire Pas-de-Calais and the Hauts-de-France region, and raise the profile of the "Parc des Equipages" with its remarkable landscape.
The focus of the restructuring was to make the strong, rational character of the original building from 1965 visible again. Extensions that had diminished the high spatial quality of the facility over the years were dismantled. The redesign of the entrance area gives the facility a stronger presence and attractiveness in the outdoor space and creates a gentle connection between the park and the city centre. The bathing facilities in the redesigned aquatic centre include a wave pool, a course pool, a spray park and three slides. A differentiation of the space allocation plan and better functional processes in the interior create ideal conditions for sport and fun and enable more efficient work processes for the staff. The reorganisation of the changing area with single locker rooms and collective locker rooms as well as the renovation of the sauna and fitness area also increase the attractiveness of the aquatic centre. A large sunbathing lawn with food truck expands the range of outdoor activities.