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Mediterranean thermal spa feeling in Werder in Brandenburg

The successful rescue of an investment ruin creates great recreational value at the gateway to Berlin
• 12,000 square metres for recreation at the Zernsee
• System building products and experience in swimming pools from SCHOMBURG helps with the completion of a shell
• Innovative solutions were able to rescue the existing construction
A Mediterranean feeling with accents from Morocco, Andalusia and the Orient – paired with Brandenburg’s geniality? Whoever wishes for this, doesn’t have to search for long. At Werder an der Havel, directly at the gateway to Berlin lies the Havel-Therme. On the bank of the large Zernsee, in the neighbourhood of one of North Germany’s vineyard districts, a 12,000 square metre recreational Oasis was created. The Detmold based manufacturer of system-based construction products, SCHOMBURG helped dynamically to bring the dream to reality.
The tale of the Havel-Thermal spa is not simple with the demands being even greater. Ultimately the expertise of the SCHOMBURG swimming pool experts also contributed to the successful revival. The swimming pool itself was a classic construction ruin over many years, in 2009 the construction was planned with considerably larger dimensions than were realised at the end. After the construction started in 2011, there were increasing problems until building activities were stopped in 2016. The Havel-Thermal Spa was at this point 45 percent completed, merely an area with a sports pool and a three-metre tower having been built.
However, the pool remained dry with the building standing empty the whole time. Damage to the structure was the result with vandalism doing the usual. In 2018 a new investor took over the construction site with a stable business model with a view to success. At the end of 2020 the building was handed over, which had cost a total of 50 million Euro to build. The construction was a challenge even for swimming pool experts. The Architects Geising + Böker (Hamburg and Vechta) had appointed the tiling companies Fliesen Lepping GmbH & Co. KG from Vreden as well as Hilpert GmbH & Co. KG from Fulda for the entire works. SCHOMBURG supported them with professional system solutions. As a reliable basis, catered the water repellent multi-purpose mortar ASOCRET-M30 as well as the epoxy-resin based barrier primer ASODUR-SG3-thix. The rapid hybrid-waterproofing membrane AQUAFIN-RS300 controlled the moisture away from the substrate. There were a number of system solutions to complete the tiling professionally and technically in the pool areas. The rapid hybrid-waterproof membrane AQUAFIN-RS300 is, due to its rapid setting and flexibility, the first choice in swimming pool construction, equally is the highly flexible two component flexible adhesive UNIFIX-S3. The whole area was maintained watertight through the joint details with the advanced waterproofing jointing technology ASO-Dichtband-2000-S.
The extent of the products used showed that: Actually, one can hardly speak only of a restoration here. The structure of the never completed construction was already so damaged that the project must be designated as a new build. Individual sections were produced so badly, that they needed to be completely re-built. For example, the starting blocks and diving tower were there but all without waterproof flanges. Also, the diving tower was too close to the movement joints within the pool. There needed to be solutions executed for many of the details first.
The success factor with the concrete project was in the planning and extensive advice. Additionally, the technical questions needed to be legally sorted such as guarantees for the existing building structure. Finally, the sports area could be “rescued”, all other areas were constructed following the rules for the art of building swimming pools. The spacious external zone is also for the use of the visitor to the Kneipp-Becken where there is a brine pool and the pool bar inside can be reached following the lazy river. There three Japanese hot water pools can also be found. In the family zone, a slide awaits the courageous and a small children’s pool and non-swimmer area can also be found for safe bathing pleasure. A particular highlight is the spacious sauna and spa landscape with a Lounge, Pool, viewing terrace and a room with its own fireplace.
In total twelve pools with a surface area of over 1,000 square metres of water offer recreational value on the banks of the Zernsee close the city, which is not commonplace. The completion of this unique recreational attraction brings the Mediterranean sea a little closer to the North – and offers an amenity at the gateway to Berlin for those who would otherwise need one or more hours on a plane.