News
Design Award 2025
Design Awards: Biotop selects the most beautiful natural pools and swimming ponds and celebrates its 40th anniversary
At the annual partner meeting, which took place in Vienna from November 6 to 7, 2025, Biotop presented its international partners with Design Awards for the best natural pool and swimming pond projects. A total of 64 projects from partner companies in five countries were submitted for the competition. In the “Living Pool” category, the “Architecture Meets Nature” pool concept from Maute Garten in Germany took first place. The title of most extraordinary swimming pond went to the “Rock Garden” project by Koninklijke Ginkel Groep (Netherlands). In the “Conversion & Refurbishment” category, Sallmann GmbH (Germany) impressed with its “Second Attempt” project. To mark Biotop’s 40th anniversary, this year saw a one-off award for the most beautiful vintage natural swimming pools. In the “Best Ager Swimming Pond” category, Lütkemeyer Ihr Gärtner von Eden won with the first public Biotop Swimming Pond in Germany, built in 1998. Geoblauw Ecozwembaden from Belgium won the “Best Ager Living Pools” award for a living pool in Belgium built in 2014. To mark the anniversary, Biotop also presented a comprehensive illustrated book featuring the most beautiful swimming ponds and natural pools worldwide.
A jury of experts from the fields of architecture, landscape planning, and the trade press evaluated all submitted projects for the Design Awards. They focused primarily on design, architectural quality, and craftsmanship. The most creative and technically impressive projects were honored in the categories “Living Pool,” “Swimming Pond,” “Renovation & Refurbishment,” and “Best Ager.” Eighteen projects from the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Austria made it to the finals. In addition, the approximately 110 partners in attendance voted for their personal favorites. “The award-winning projects clearly demonstrate how the highest quality of life can be combined with outstanding design and ecological sustainability,” says Marion Hanek, Managing Director of Biotop International.
The most exclusive living pools
Maute Garten impressed the expert jury with its concept of ‘architecture meets nature’. Built on a sloping plot, the 18-metre-long living pool is ideal for athletic swimming. A natural stone wall, Kebony wood decking and a seating area with privacy screening round off this unique facility.
1st place: Maute Garten
© Pascal Gusenko
Second place went to Bindels Buiten Beleving (Netherlands) with a Living Pool featuring an adjoining seating area in a modern conceptual design. Third place went to Weber Garten und Landschaftsbau with a Living Pool that creates a special harmony with its clean lines and elegant natural stone walls.
2nd place: Bindels Buiten Beleving
© RobBakker
3rd place: Weber Garten- & Landschaftsbau
© Weber Garten- & Landschaftsbau GmbH
Outstanding Swimming Ponds
The Dutch Koninklijke Ginkel Groep won the competition with its project for a Swimming Pond in a creatively designed rock garden. This is nestled between a natural stone house, a stream and granite boulders. The result is a concept with a mountainous forest character.
1st place: Koninklijke Ginkel Groep
© Jorieke de Fretes en Arjan Barten
Second place went to Garten Bitters with an extraordinary Swimming Pond in a sunken garden. The swimming pond is characterised by a contoured step system that sets creative and functional accents. The sunken garden area creates a modern connection between the levels with floating Schellevis steps. Ellicar Pools from Great Britain impressed us with its concept for a particularly compact plunge pool. It is designed for wellness and year-round use and complements a sauna. This oasis of calm also attracts a variety of wildlife.
2nd place: Garten Bitters
© Garten Bitters
3rd place: Ellicar Pools
© Mike Sannwald-Kirk
The best conversion and refurbishment
Sallmann’s renovation project emerged as the winner. The swimming pond, built in 1997, was converted into a Living Pool with an adjoining koi pond back in 2010. Now the facility has been renovated again: the shallow standing area has been removed, new steps have been added and a graphite grey liner has been installed. The koi now swim in their own pond.
1st place: Sallmann GmbH
© Jürgen Sallmann
Schleitzer baut Gärten (Germany) came in second place with an ‘oasis of transformation’. The horticultural company transformed a 15-year-old swimming pond into a modern Living Pool. Complementing the sauna, a private retreat was created that harmoniously combines nature, architecture and relaxation. Belgian company Hoveniersgebroeders BVBA took third place with the renovation of a swimming pond with a mirror effect. The twelve-year-old swimming pond was given partially new walls, a new surround and liner, and new regeneration zones.
2nd place: Schleitzer baut Gärten
© Carolin Tietz
3rd place: Hoveniersgebroeders
© Hoveniersgebroeders
Special Awards for Special Projects
All participants voted the concept ‘Architecture meets water’ by German company Weber Garten- und Landschaftsbau GmbH as the winner of the Partner’s 1st Choice Award. With its precise lines, different wooden decks and lush planting, this 77 square metre Swimming Pond perfectly complements a historic villa.
Partners 1st Choice Award: Weber Garten und Landschaftsbau
© Hey.u Creative Fabian Hartmann
A luxurious living pool from Geoblauw Ecozwembaden was selected as the ‘Best Ager Living Pool’. It was created by converting an existing prefabricated pool. The elegant infinity pool impresses viewers with its bluestone overflow, organically shaped pool edges and sophisticated aesthetics.
Best Ager Living Pool: Geoblauw
© Geoblauw
The title ‘Best Ager Swimming Pond’ was awarded to ‘Die Welle Gütersloh’ by Lütkemeyer Ihr Gärtner von Eden. Built in 1998, this public Swimming Pond covers a total water area of 850 square metres, 350 square metres of which is dedicated to swimming. The facility has only been modernised once and is in continuous operation.
Best Ager Swimming Pond: Lütkemeyer
© Die Welle Gütersloh
40 years as a natural pool pioneer
Biotop set a milestone with the construction of its first swimming ponds. From 1990 onwards, the first public facilities followed, as well as collaborations with partner companies abroad. Numerous environmental and innovation awards confirm the natural concept. In the 2000s, Biotop developed innovative filter technologies such as PhosTec Ultra and Carbonator, expanded its range to include Living Pools, opened its headquarters in Weidling and built its thousandth swimming pond. From 2010 onwards, the international partner network was expanded to over 50 partners. In recent years, Biotop has invested in digitalisation and site expansion. To date, the natural pool pioneer has built over 9,000 facilities worldwide. Today, Helene Polak continues the legacy of Biotop founder Peter Petrich. ‘We want to make Living Pools even better known as an organic alternative to chlorinated pools and strengthen our pioneering role in organic water treatment,’ explains Helene Polak, owner and managing director of Biotop International.
Illustrated book featuring the most beautiful pool projects
To mark its 40th anniversary, Biotop has produced a lavishly designed book entitled ‘The Art of Living Water’. It presents the most exciting Swimming Ponds and natural pools worldwide, as well as the milestones in the company’s history. Impressive images guide readers through exclusive private gardens, extraordinary hotel complexes and visionary projects. It shows how sustainable design, innovative Biotop technology and natural bathing pleasure can be combined – without chlorine, but with the highest standards of aesthetics and quality of life. The company has remained true to this philosophy since its foundation in 1985. ‘Water is our most important resource. We should treat it with care. Every swimming pond and every natural pool that is built instead of a chlorine pool is a gain for nature, environmental protection and biodiversity,’ says Polak.
order catalogue
watch videos
