Roubaix is in the suburbs of Lille, capital of Hauts-de-France (Nord, Pas de Calais, Picardy). It was once famous for its textile production, an industry which had been active in the area since the 14th century. In the 19th century Roubaix was known as the “French Manchester”, one of the world capitals of textiles. It was also called the “city of a thousand chimneys” and its factories proliferated well into the 20th century. It's from those times that La Piscine comes.
The municipal swimming pool was built in 1932, commissioned by the Mayor and designed by architect Albert Baert. In its day it was cutting edge – a stunning art deco monument, not just a pool but it also had bathrooms for men and women at a time when most poor people didn’t have access to such things. It was much loved and stayed in use until 1985 when it closed needing complete renovation after chlorine in the water caused damage to the structure, especially the roof.
By then, the textile industry had also declined and Roubaix found itself undergoing a dramatic change. The city councillors decided to ensure that the heritage of Roubaix was preserved and were awarded a label of “City of Art and History. They needed somewhere to house their expanding art collection and Bruno Gaudichon, now director of La Piscine, admits choosing the former swimming pool area as the location, was “a gamble, as by now, Roubaix had a lot of industrial empty industrial buildings”.