News

As in previous years, the nine Partners having completed the most appealing projects were voted on during the Biotop Partner Event

Vienna, 22–23 November 2018: The annual meeting provided the stage for the election of the winners and the ceremonial awarding of the trophies.

Previously, a jury consisting of architects, journalists, and gardening and landscaping experts had selected the twelve nominees from a total of 30 submitted entries. The categories were “Living Pool”, “Swimming Pond”, and “Conversion & Refurbishment” as usual. 85 Biotop Partners from around the world were allowed to review the nominated projects and cast their votes for their favourites during the Partner Event.

This year, the winning projects came from Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, and Austria.

WINNERS IN THE CATEGORY: LIVING POOL

1^st place:

Maute GmbH & CO KG
This infinity Living-Pool with all-around overflow drain captivates with its purist design and unique location. Jutting out blockily from the steep terrain, it offers its users a spectacular view of the surrounding landscape. The stainless steel overflow surrounding it on all sides provides an unobstructed vista. This Living-Pool meets the highest requirements, with the built-in heat pump allowing swimming even in winter. The subsurface rolling cover, which is installed at the bottom of the pool and hidden beneath a bench, prevents unwanted heat. The pool is visible from all living and working areas of the architecturally very attractive building, thereby taking centre stage in the arrangement

2^nd place:

Geonet bvba
In an upscale residential area, we were commissioned to build a Living-Pool that integrates ideally into the atmosphere created by the home and garden. A sauna house and a separate pool house covered with oak shingles complete the everyday holiday experience. The pool itself was built of concrete and lined with an anthracite-grey FPO foil, with edging made of reclaimed clay clinker bricks. A wooden deck hides the filter setup, and a beach sofa with a PC rolling cover lends the arrangement a luxurious atmosphere.


3^rd place:

SCHLEITZER baut Gärten creativ & innovativ GmbH
A Living-Pool with the following facilities was integrated into a row house in Pasing-Obermenzing:
- 2x UWS LED
- a massage system
- a counter-current system with two turbines
- a pool heating system using an air-water heat pump
- a polycarbonate cover

4^th place:

Koninklijke Ginkel Group (nominee)
This stately villa was best complemented by a pool with classic design, and we were commissioned to make this wonderful site in the Netherlands woods even more inviting. The Living-Pool, discreetly framed by the patio beside the house and the separate pool house, was furnished with every possible luxury. Modern heating technology ensures stable temperatures and extends the swimming season.

WINNERS IN THE CATEGORY: SWIMMING POND

1^st place:

Koninklijke Ginkel Group
The clients’ wish was complete relaxation in their own garden; a place in nature offering the ultimate quality of life. The installed Natural Pool provides precisely that experience by offering refreshment after a visit to the sauna or swimming pleasure on a summer’s day. The captivating flora in the regeneration zone is seamlessly extended in the surrounding flower beds—and the wooden deck was placed directly within the planted area, thereby offering an even more immediate nature experience.

2^nd place:

Fuchs baut Gärten GmbH
Walled Natural Pool with foil liner.
- Aquarium with large natural stepping stones (Halleiner) and a stone for dogs around 10 cm under the water surface.
- The Cyclopean-style masonry supporting the slope was ideally suited for integrating a small waterfall.
- The green liner, the planting and the site itself contribute to the feeling of an „oasis of tranquillity“.



3^rd place:

Chagall Giardini SNC - Arch. Anja Werner
Natural Pool in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy. Realized in a environmentally and archeologically protected area strict requirements and limitations. The design features simple excavation with steep banks and no shallow zones, a PPL liner allowing freeform placement, and materials that reflect the natural character of the site. The pool has 3 distinct levels, with a large curved set of stairs made of sandstone blocks along one side reaching down to the first level at a depth of 80cm; an underwater staircase along another side reaching down to the second level at 140 cm; and the third level at 280 cm. The regeneration zone was separated from the swimming zone with angle elements, and water flows back into the basin from the filter over an antique millstone.

4^th place:

Hoveniersgebroeders BVBA  (nominee)
This garden project was designed by the renowned landscaper Piet Oudolf. The customer asked for a specific shape of the pool to match the oval lawn area beside it. The walls were constructed using concrete-filled polystyrene blocks lines with EPDM 3d foils, and old clay clinker bricks were used for the pool edging as well as for the separator between swimming area and biofilter. A small wooden deck for reclining was also integrated.

WINNERS IN THE CATEGORY: RESTORATION & REFURBISHMENT

1^st place:

HOVENIERSGEBROEDERS bvba
This project completed in 2017 comprised the renovation of an entire chateau garden and the creation of a Natural Pool. The existing pond was old and quite decrepit. A line was drawn from the central axis of the building in order to position the pool in the middle of the beautiful ensemble. The swimming area has a length of 22 metres and a width of 4.5 metres, and the sun shining through the trees warms it up to around 24°C. The wooden decks are framed with weathering steel to produce an authentic, natural look. The clear water, the renovated wrought-iron bridge and captivating selection of water plants are a real feast for the eyes.

2^nd place:

SCHLEITZER baut Gärten creativ & innovativ GmbH
A masoned Natural Pool was built in the east of Munich. It features three LED underwater floodlights, a subsurface rolling cover, and a counter-current system. The pool is framed by a deck made of thermally treated ash, a pool house, and a pavilion. The length of 10 meters ensures unforgettable swimming pleasure for young and old.


3^rd place:

Fresner Garten- und Landschaftsbau
The starting point for the “Dr. K”-project was a conventional pool that was no longer in use. It was lengthened to 12.5 m to improve the swimming experience. The dark grey liner allows the Schladming Tauern mountains to be reflected beautifully in the crystal-clear water, and the dark grey natural stone framing creates a harmonious overall impression. The combination of the blue water, the lush green of the lawn and the abundant flowers of the plants give the garden a beautiful look, and the decorations pottered by the owner herself lend it a special, very personal note.

4^th place:

Freiraum Gartenarchitektur (nominee)
A circular former cesspool in an overgrown farmyard garden was converted into a Natural Pool. The swimming area was walled off, and plant zones with different depths frame it on either side