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This old Swiss army bunker is now an incredible new pool

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This old Swiss army bunker is now an incredible new pool
The pool is built into the original foundations of a military bunker. Photo: Illiz Architektur

A former military bunker in the canton of Zurich has given an amazing facelift and now houses a state of the art swimming pool.

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Until a couple of years ago, the former bunker on the edge of school grounds in Erlenbach was all but invisible, hidden by dense foliage and a sports ground.

A total of two years and 7.5 million Swiss francs later, the military facility has become a state-of-the-art swimming pool with stunning views of Lake Zurich and the Albis chain.


Photo: Illiz Architektur

The idea to repurpose the bunker came from the local council after officials realised they could kill two birds with one stone by disposing of a useless and expensive piece of real estate and providing much needed space for a swimming pool in the area.

Zurich architects Illiz won a council competition to come up with a design for the pool.

The remodelling saw the removal of the bunker’s original roof, while the pool itself is built into the original foundations.

Traces of the bunker remain though, such as the hexagonal floor tiles and the old numbers marking the former sleeping quarters and the beige walls.

Unfortunately the pool is not open to the public but maybe this is the start of a new trend?  


Photo: Illiz Architektur


Photo: Illiz Architektur

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