The alpine swimming pool, Adelboden in the Canton of Berne in Switzerland was built in the 1930s by designer and engineer, Beda Hefti. This outdoor pool was built as part of a construction trend to bring public leisure infrastructure to tourist areas in an effort to boost visitation and revitalize the tourism industry in the post-war era. Built-in a modern style in a spectacular mountainous setting, the original building was brightly colored in a joyous expression of vitality and playfulness.
The original complex was comprised of a swimming pool, diving tower, music pavilion, children’s pool, change rooms, café, and an entry structure. Over the building’s life span, the main elements have remained in place, however, successive renovations have removed aging and failing concrete structures and critically re-painted the buildings without any regard for the original color scheme and design intent. The building was classified for preservation in 2009 and important work has been undertaken to return Adelboden’s swimming pool to its former glory.
The original buildings were painted with KEIM 2K pure mineral paints. During conservation work, the original paint was located under layers of modern over-painting. The original paint colors correspond to KEIM color swatches dating from 1928, which are once again available today.
The original mineral paint developed by Adolf Wilhelm Keim around 1878 is based on quartz. The mineral is melted together with potash at high temperatures. Pure silicate paints consist of two components color pigments and potassium water glass and require a mineral substrate. During setting, potassium water glass reacts chemically with the lime of the substrate, and with the pigments, this is called silicification. The stable bond with the substrate makes the mineral paint coat extremely durable and light-resistant. The direct light reflection on the pigments makes the colors look brilliant and gives them a so-called crystalline glow.
The contemporary revitalization of the swimming pool structures removed flaking and faded paints, repaired plaster, and concrete substrates, and re-painted the buildings with KEIM paints - KEIMFARBEN GMBH - returning these marvelous structures to their colorful, exuberant best.
Project Data
| Architecture | Daniel Büschlen, akkurat bauatelier, Thun |
| Preservation of monuments | Fabian Schwarz, canton office for the preservation of monuments Bern |
| Restorer | Roger Tinguely, Restaurator HFG, Steffisburg |
| Paintwork | FarbX GmbH, Beat Pieren, Adelboden |
| Products | Mineral Paint for Concrete - KEIM Concretal®-W |
