Location: Liberec, CZE
Investor: The City of Liberec
Completion year: 2025
Build-up area: 320 m²
Author: Mjölk architects, Marie Vondráková
Main project engineer: Mjölking
General contractor: 1ku1

At the confluence of two streams, near Lidové sady—Liberec’s stately villa district—lies a place with a deep bathing tradition. The water there is as cold as ice. Every local knows this beauty hidden beneath century-old spruces as Lesní koupaliště—the Forest Pool. A few years ago, we decided to lease it from the city and build a brand-new facilities building nearby. Now, I’m standing on the edge of the pool, looking at the snow-white building that lines the forest’s edge like lace, waiting for its first visitors, and thinking—it was all worth it.

When we took over the management of the Forest Pool, we immediately began figuring out what to do and how. We started with zero funding, so the only way to make improvements was through volunteer work. So we grabbed drills, saws—and got to it. Using construction boards and slats, we cobbled together makeshift furniture for the refreshment stand, which received a light facelift. It got a white paint job, new equipment, and a sign reading “beer–soda” with a large heart on the roof, which became a symbol of the area’s transformation. We began working on a design study and sourcing funding. A large part of the budget came from the city’s participatory budgeting, but significant support also came from private donors. Then came the building permit, granted in May 2022. The first funds went to repairing the foundations and the wastewater treatment system. A year later, work began on the main structure—though by then, funds were running low. We did as much as we could with our own hands or with donations from private supporters. Eventually, we negotiated a one-time financial contribution from the city to help finish the building and open full facilities in spring 2025. It worked—this new building will now serve the public, which has few places to swim in Liberec.

The new building is not a showcase for lavish public spending. With minimal cost, we managed to build a public facility that would’ve been almost impossible without civic initiative. Our contribution wasn’t just physical labor but also all the project and organizational work such a building entails. The resulting design focused on ease of construction, phaseability, and financial accessibility. The timber structure, following the two height levels of the original concrete slab, provides the core functional spaces of the building. The combined system of CLT panels and lightweight timber framing incorporates storage, toilets, a sauna with a lounge, and a bistro. The steel roof structure serves as both umbrella and parasol—sheltering the building and visitors from bad weather. Under the roof are showers, changing rooms, and lockers.

The first records of the Forest Pool date back to before World War II and are connected to the “Waldbad in Ruppersdorf” association. In 1934, the association applied for approval to establish a bathing area. According to available sources, construction was carried out by the firm Preibisch & Reinelt together with gardener Josef Peschel from Ruprechtice, between 1937 and 1940. The swimming pool was under construction during the war, used by military units for training, but also remained a place of public recreation. After the war, completion resumed: the access road was improved, a parking lot built, and changing rooms and a restaurant added. Back then, the facilities stood on the opposite side from where they are now, adjacent to the road. The now-gone building, remembered by many and destroyed by fire in 2010, was added twenty years later. Interestingly, there was once a water heating tank and a children's wading pool above the site. The area was closed in 2007, and after the fire, only the original concrete slab remained. It continued to decay until 2016, when revitalization began with pool reconstruction and landscape improvements. The pool reopened to the public in 2018. Unfortunately, the first two years were extremely dry, affecting the water's quality and volume. Alongside the reopening, a small refreshment stand and chemical toilets were added. In spring 2020, the association Lesní koupaliště, founded by Mjölk architekti, took over, marking a new chapter. We’ve now opened a new building, providing essential facilities and a sauna for colder months. Plans include a children's water feature, stepped seating, new sports facilities, and much more. The work isn’t done—there’s still plenty to look forward to.

Our association, Lesní koupaliště z. s., was founded at the beginning of 2020 so that we could apply for long-term management of the area. Because we care about the town where we live, we attempted to reclaim this beautiful yet neglected corner of Liberec and breathe back its swimming-hall spirit, which it had been missing for so long. The Forest Pool needed nothing more than a little attention. After five years of stewardship, we’ve managed to complete new amenities—and we’re immensely proud of that. We’ve given the Forest Pool a new soul. The swimming pool exists here not only thanks to participatory budgets and municipal support but also because of you. Without private donors and partners, not only would a crucial portion of funding be missing, but also the sense that our work is meaningful. We have further development activities planned for the coming years so that this precious corner of the city can continue to grow. But building the pool isn’t the end of our mission. We’re moving forward. And so, we clean, mow, prune, design, authorize, supervise, and plan. If you’d like to help us, we’d be happy to hear from you—just get in touch.