Volksschwimmhalle Lankow

The Volksschwimmhalle Lankow stands in the Schwerin district of Lankow beside the Lankower See. Built in the 1970s, the hall was designed by Herbert Müller of Halle with a striking roof of hyperbolic paraboloid shells. After decades as a public swimming pool, the building was saved from demolition when its unique roof gained Denkmalschutz in 2015. The conversion by Schelfbauhütte turned the shell into sixteen flats while keeping a small therapy pool. The Landesamt für Kultur und Denkmalpflege recognised the roof’s importance as the last of its kind in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Ulrich Bunnemann’s investment plan made the denkmalgerechte Sanierung possible, earning the project a KfW Bauen Award in 2019. Inside, the curved concrete walls now frame modern living spaces and a 12 × 4 m pool used by a physiotherapy practice. The original pool hall has become a basement, its volume preserved under a new floor. Outside, the lake and surrounding parkland offer quiet walks, while the HP-shell roof remains the building’s most striking feature.