The modern pool as a new civic space [Moderné letné kúpalisko ako nový typ verejného priestoru]

This paper examines the modern swimming pools as a new kind of civic, public building type that developed between the 1930s and 1960s. Public pools were widely built in most developed and developing countries during this period. This discussion distils only five case studies of significant modern, outdoor public pools - 3 in Australia and 2 in Europe - that have been researched through detailed fieldwork, archival analysis and interviews with architects and users. The impetus for the provision of public amenities for recreation, sport and leisure in urban contexts grew out of nineteenth century reform ideals affecting city planning and architecture, and was further consolidated through the agendas of modernist urban charters such as CIAM and other governmental initiatives. We demonstrate that the public swimming pool is a particularly potent indicator of modernity. As a type it reflects modern attitudes towards a range of attributes including: accessible and classless recreation in line with socialist ideologies and concerns for the welfare of the poor; exposure to natural elements inspired by the natural hygiene movement; the changing politics of the collective and individual body along with shifts in attitude towards gender and social behaviours conducted in public spaces. Public pools presented architectural challenges and opportunities to modern architects through their structural design, planning and environmental servicing.