SECURITY AND INTIMACY IN THE SAUNA AREA
With regard to formats and locations, the floor tiles of the Trias
series of Agrob Buchtal were used identically in the sauna area of
the upper floor as in the bathing landscape on the ground floor.
The only difference is the slightly darker colour iron ore, which,
together with the generally warmer and earthier range of colours,
creates a cosy room atmosphere. The architects composed the
experience showers with great attention to details: they were also
executed with round mosaics (2 cm diameter) from the Loop series
in a specially designed colour gradient from coral-red to bronze-
metallic to dark violet, produced by Agrob Buchtal especially for
this project. This differentiated dramaturgy not only conveys the
aesthetic enjoyment of a minimalist conceptual work of art, but also
provides the subtle transition between hot saunas and refreshing
showers, supported by the curved walls.
The sea steam bath offers another, likewise unmistakable colour
world. Square 2 x 2 cm mosaics of the Amano series of the brand
Jasba were used there. With the colours anthracite and pure blue as
well as watercolour-like, glossy surfaces, this ceramic wall covering
makes atmospheric reference to the underwater world of the nearby
Lake Constance.
COLOUR, FORM AND FUNCTION AS A UNIT
The Sportbad Friedrichshafen is a showcase example of how strong
the emotional effect of ceramic wall and floor tiles can be. The great
variety of colours, forms and formats in this project is never an end
in itself, but always part of a sensuous holistic overall composition,
which lives not least from details that are initially hardly noticeable,
such as, for example, the letter plates made of floor tiles from the
series Trias of Agrob Buchtal, which indicate the depth of the water
at the pool edges. Instead of using standard off-the-shelf stainless
steel panels, the architects wanted to use tiles of different colours to
create a homogeneous appearance. After cutting out the numerals
using water jet technology, the parts were reassembled, pointed
and integrated as “ceramic inlays” with a casual naturalness - one of
many proofs for the successful symbiosis of unobtrusive creativity
and architectural stringency. The whole is more here than the sum
of its parts and makes the Sportbad Friedrichshafen a model for
unpretentious but at the same time memorable architecture.
www.agrob-buchtal.de / www.jasba.de
www.behnisch.com