With fresch,Freising offers its residents and guests a modern, year-round adventure and combined pool in the Lerchenfeld district. On the site of the former swimming pool on Rabenweg, a sophisticated combination of new and existing buildings was created, which was completely renovated to meet modern requirements – a remarkable project in times when municipal pools are closing in many places.

The architectural competition organized by Freising's municipal utility company was won by Venneberg & Zech, in collaboration with the landscape architects from Grünplan from Hanover. Their design follows the idea of a "white ship anchored in Lerchenfeld." The three new buildings house the indoor swimming pool, the restaurant, a parking garage, and an extensive sauna area.

Ample seating and lounging options are available throughout the grounds: In addition to the large sunbathing lawn, numerous terraces, platforms, and stands are spread across the grounds. The flooring in these areas was covered with durable, non-slip wood composite materials. Compact in gray from the NaturinForm range was installed across a total of 950 square meters. Additionally, 328 meters of handrails were covered with Strong decking to provide guests with a secure foothold throughout the grounds.

Unlimited water fun guaranteed

The fresch offers a diverse range of swimming pleasures across over 1,000 square meters of water surface. Whether indoor or outdoor, guests will find their money's worth in a total of eight pools.

The outdoor pool's leisure pool is divided into three sections: A 25-meter-long pool with four lanes invites you to relax and swim. Directly adjacent is an adventure area with a wide slide and play areas for water lovers of all ages. The nearby children's playground offers climbing frames, water pumps, and sand areas for creative play. Older children can let off steam climbing, while the beach volleyball courts provide a variety of sporting activities.

The indoor pool features a sports pool, a teaching pool, and a leisure and toddler pool, all available year-round. The facilities are complemented by a spacious sauna area with several saunas, cold and warm pools, and relaxation areas. Particularly attractive are the kelo sauna, the tunnel sauna, and the swimming pond with its adjacent relaxation room.

The outdoor pool has been partially redesigned: While the 50-meter competition pool and diving pool, as well as large sections of the sunbathing lawn, have been retained, a new leisure and toddler pool with a play area and a modern restroom building have been built. Extensive new sunbathing areas in the northeast provide additional space for relaxation. A restaurant with around 50 seats and a terrace completes the concept and can also be used independently of the pool.

Natural design with durable materials

The Hanover-based GrünPlan Landscape Architects BDLA, under the direction of graduate engineer Jens Krannich, was responsible for planning the outdoor areas. A particular focus was placed on the outdoor recreational areas. For the terraces, the adjacent pool areas, and the main entrance, NaturinForm's Compact in gray was chosen – perfectly coordinated with the color scheme of the architecture and exterior design. Additionally, the handrails were covered with 328 linear meters of NaturinForm's Strong to ensure a uniform and functional design.

Craftsmanship precision in grandstand processing

Schmees & Lühn Holz- und Stahlingenieurbau from Fresenburg was commissioned to install the wood composite materials. Founded in 1900, the company is now one of Germany's leading specialists in timber and steel engineering. Led by Markus Lühn, responsible for production and construction management, the three-person team worked on the project over a period of 16 months – with several interruptions.

In addition to laying the running surfaces, barefoot areas, and decks, the seating area at the diving pool presented a particular technical challenge. "Constructing the substructure here required significantly more effort than with flat terrace surfaces," explains Lühn. He is particularly impressed by the material's technical properties – especially in humid, chlorine-exposed areas. He also highlights the processing advantages of NaturinForm planks: "They can be processed similarly to wood, but are significantly more robust and durable."

Non-slip coverings for more safety on wet floors

With the Compact, developers and architects opted for a particularly slip-resistant decking that offers optimal grip even in damp and wet conditions. NaturinForm's solid decking has already proven its worth on numerous swimming pool terraces.

Surface options include a finely ribbed side and a version with block stripes – both brushed for added grip. The finely ribbed surface was used in this project, which, according to TÜV Rheinland, has the highest slip resistance rating of R12 according to DIN 51130 and Class C according to DIN 51097. This makes the compact ideal for pool and bathing areas.

Thanks to their technical finish, the finely grained planks easily withstand splashes of water and guarantee lasting, high slip resistance – an essential factor in humid environments. Unlike wood, the wood composite material doesn't splinter, offering a barefoot-friendly walking experience. The planks are also extremely versatile: With a length of up to 13 meters, a thickness of 21 millimeters, and a reversible surface, they open up a wide range of design possibilities.

Solid floorboards: non-slip, weather-resistant and barefoot-friendly

NaturinForm develops intelligent solutions for outdoor flooring and profiles. At its production site in Redwitz an der Rodach in Upper Franconia, wood composites are produced that combine the natural look of wood with the durability of technical polymers.

During production, wood fibers are coated with an environmentally friendly, thermoplastic polymer that acts as a protective layer. Because this polymer is water-repellent, moisture cannot penetrate the material. The planks retain the positive properties of wood—both aesthetically and thermally.

This material proves to be particularly advantageous in wet environments: it does not swell, does not rot, does not splinter and remains permanently non-slip.

Climate-neutral, sustainable production

Climate protection and resource conservation are top priorities at NaturinForm. Since November, production has been certified as climate-neutral by TÜV NORD.

Only wood fibers from sustainable, PEFC-certified forestry are used in production, meaning no additional trees need to be felled. Instead, byproducts from the wood processing industry are used. This makes the wood composite a particularly environmentally friendly solution.

Another plus point: The planks are 100 percent recyclable. After use, they can be returned to NaturinForm and reintroduced into the manufacturing process.