Mjölk, s.r.o.

Forest Pool

Forest Pool

Mjölk architekti

Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice

CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISION
Milan Šulc [REAL engineering]

PROJECT COORDINATION
Jiří Janďourek [město Liberec], Jiří Bliml [Městské lesy Liberec]

MANUFACTURERS
Booba, Harvia, Houška OK, Lombardo, Marma Liberec, Topeni plus

PHOTOGRAPHER
BoysPlayNice

GENERAL CONTRACTOR
1ku1

AREA
320 m²

YEAR
2025

LOCATION
Liberec, Czechia

CATEGORY
Swimming Pool

Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice

English description provided by the architects.

CONSTRUCTION

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.

Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice
Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice

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.

Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice
Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice

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.

Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice
Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice

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.

Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice
Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice

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.

ARCHITECTURE

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, feasibility, and financial accessibility.

Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice
Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice

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 an umbrella and a parasol, sheltering the building and visitors from bad weather. Under the roof are showers, changing rooms, and lockers.

Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice
Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice

HISTORY

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.

Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice
Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice

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.

Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice
Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice

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.

Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice
Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice

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.

Forest Pool
© BoysPlayNice


Forest Pool
Longitudinal Section
Forest Pool
Cross Sections
Forest Pool
South Elevation
Forest Pool
West and East Elevation


Forest Pool
Site Plan
Forest Pool
Floor Plan


Forest Pool
Axonometry

Mjölk, s.r.o.
T +420 778 808020
Mjölk, s.r.o.
Pražská 376, 460 01 Liberec, Czech Republic