Neufeld indoor swimming pool, Bern

The Neufeld indoor swimming pool is open to the public, schools and water sports clubs.

In 2017, the city of Bern put the construction of the new indoor swimming pool out to tender. The architectural project "goccia" by Armon Semadeni from Zurich was selected as the winner of the competition a year later. With the approval of the population in 2019 for a construction loan of 75.5 million, the way was clear for the new building and the ground-breaking ceremony took place in 2020. The construction work went according to plan and the indoor swimming pool was opened in autumn 2023.

Initial situation/requirements:

Kilchenmann implemented the audiovisual technology in the Neufeld indoor swimming pool. This included the integration of audio and video components, including competition clocks, acoustics, digital signage and an LED wall.

Technical concept:

As part of this project, a comprehensive technical concept was developed to meet the requirements of the swimming pool hall. This included the basic sound system for the entire hall, which enables the provision of voice announcements, background music and microphones for events and competitions. A key feature of this system is the individual operability of each zone, controlled via touch panels. Three touch panels are available: two for the reception area (for switching the system on and off) and one in the lifeguard's lodge, which serves as the master control and enables events to be activated. A further touch panel in the event rack allows authorization for certain events and zones, with different hierarchy levels defined here.

The system allows the audio and video settings to be adjusted for different event scenarios. In swimming pool operation, the focus is on background sound, while in event operation, the event rack is activated to provide microphones and special sound for the diving pool and the 50-meter pool during races or water polo. This facilitates presentations and ensures optimum sound quality at events.

The audio and video technology was implemented in various areas of the indoor swimming pool, including the diving tower, the 50-meter pool, the learner swimming area, the showers, the changing rooms and a training room. Particularly noteworthy is the special challenge posed by the corrosion levels. Custom-made products with stainless steel screws were used to ensure that the installed components could withstand the special conditions (chlorine) in the swimming pool hall.

The training room was equipped with an 85-inch multimedia display on a mobile stand. A wireless presentation system, a microphone and loudspeakers were also included in this installation.

Various intercom stations, including the reception and the lifeguard's lodge, were set up to transmit automatic voice messages such as opening times and important information.

Corrosion-resistant indoor pool clocks were installed in various areas of the hall. Six clocks were installed in the swimming area, displaying minutes and seconds to show swimmers the exact time. In addition, clocks with minute and hour displays have been installed in the diving area and in the training room, which are synchronized via GPS to ensure maximum accuracy.

Another feature of the audiovisual technology in the indoor swimming pool are the two LED walls in the 50-meter pool and the diving pool. The LED wall in the 50-meter pool displays the time and lane occupancy as standard and is linked to the sports office database. At the diving pool, the LED wall is used to graphically display the towers and reservations.

The installation of these LED walls required a customized substructure. A special plaster ceiling was inserted between the substructure and the ceiling to ensure the installation. In addition, corrosion-resistant materials were used to ensure durability.

A double-sided stele was placed at the entrance/exit of the indoor swimming pool to provide important information. This stele informs visitors about prices, opening times, the bus timetable and upcoming events. The reception monitor at the cash desk displays the admission prices.

The double-sided stele in the lifeguard's lodge informs guests about the occupancy schedule, upcoming swimming courses, etc. A safety content is displayed for the lifeguards.

17 inch checkroom doorplates, filled with their own system from the cloud, allow checkrooms to be reserved at the touch of a button. The checkroom can be locked or individually labeled as required for men, women, families or specific groups such as a swimming club. The system was developed by Kilchenmann.

The customer relies on the Kilchenmann ServiceCare service package to ensure the safe and reliable operational readiness of the entire media technology. This package was adapted to the different rooms and individual customer requirements.