Vandkulturhuset
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Vandkulturhuset means "Water Culture House" and refers to an aquatics facility located within the DGI-byen conference and hotel complex, completed in 1997.
Vandkulturhuset includes a hundred-metre round pool that allows for "endless" (no need to stop and change direction) swims. The round pool has a hydraulic stage in the center for concerts or banquets, in which the round pool forms a moat around the musicians or diners.
This pool is also the site of the underwater concert for ICMC 2007 (International Computer Music Conference).
Vandkulturhuset also includes variously themed pools such as a climbing gym above water (where participants can fall down into the water), a trampoline above the water, as well as a standard platform.
There two of the pools feature viewing areas with underwater glass walls.
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[edit] Pools
There are six pools in the main DGI-byen aquatics area, which provide a variety of different kinds of bathing experiences at a variety of different temperatures.
These six pools are as follows:
- Seven-sided pool which has:
- Trampoline entry (bathers can bounce on a trampoline to enter the water);
- Climbing gym located above water, so that if and when climbers fall, they land in the water;
- 12inch (1 foot) concerte platform with bouncy rubber and plastic-strip material
- 1m springboard
- 1.5m platform
- 2m platform
- 2.5m platform
- 4.9m platform
- underwater viewing area
where the platform heights were chosen deliberately so that none of them would correspond exactly to competition heights (e.g. 4.9m platform rather than 5m platform), such that the pool would not be used for competitions (i.e. to ensure hotel guests and members of the public would never be excluded from using it during competitions).
- Circular hot tub that alternates between 15 minutes of bather access, and 15 minutes of cleaning (50% duty cycle, 15 bathing minutes per half hour cycle).
- Large circular pool
- Competition pool inside the circular pool. The competition pool has an adjustable-depth floor that not only goes to zero depth, but can go to negative depth (i.e. so that the pool floor is up above the water's surface), so that it can be used as a raised stage for banquets (tables and chairs) or for an orchestra to play on, wherein the large circular pool forms a moat around the orchestra.
- Activity pool with circular mushroom shower as well as circular waterfall, and bubble jets
- Warm pool with ramp entrance, and underwater viewing area
[edit] Banquets and concerts
Vandkulturhuset is an important cultural hub in Copenhagen, where a variety of significant events, such as banquets and concerts, take place, in the central pool when the depth is set to less than zero (i.e. using the central pool as a raised stage, surrounded by the waters of the round pool). Additionally, various performances use the entire complex, allowing participants to move from one pool to another, while experiencing an immersive performance space.
[edit] Acoustics
The various pools are acoustically separated into three main regions:
- The main area with circular pool and rectangular pool in the middle of it;
- The deep pool with platforms;
- The warm pools: family pool, hot tub, etc.
The main pools are separated from the warm pools by a glass wall.
The main pools are separated from the deep pool by a geometric sculpture consisting of angular slanted walls. The walls do not reach all the way to the ceiling. This allows visual contact between the platform on the high tower, and the main pools, etc. (i.e. the view from the high platform includes the main pools, and bathers on the high tower are visible from the main pools), while providing acoustic isolation, so that the sounds of the splashing from bathers descending from the platforms down into the deep pool are not likely to disturb a banquet, concert, or quiet swim in the main pools.
The unique acoustical properties of these angled walls has also been exploited to full effect, with a plasmaphone installation used in the ICMC 2007 immersive concert held at Vandkulturhuset in August 2007.
[edit] Bathing Hygiene
The pools in Vandkulturhuset are kept very clean, and, additionally, surrounding areas are kept clean. A high standard of hygiene is established through various layers of decontamination, beginning with the removal of shoes in a special shoe removal and shoe storage space, after which participants enter a locker area, to store their clothes, and then enter a shower area. A thorough soap shower, without swimsuit, is required, using special soap provided. A detailed decontamination procedure is followed, as indicated with emphasis on six specific areas of the body. Detailed bathing hygiene instructions are posted in the shower area. Additionally, a spray hose having a 1/2 inch International Pipe (IP) thread with fire-hose nozzle is provided in the shower room.
