Helin & Co Architects

The Regatta Spa is located on the Tehtaanniemi peninsula next to Hanko’s guest harbour on a shoreline rock, which is partly in a nature reserve area. It was designed as a high-standard international bathing establishment but also to meet the Hanko citizens’ needs for recreation and swimming teaching. Besides changing rooms and shower and sauna facilities, the spa contains a reception area with cafe, traditional Finnish saunas, a steam sauna, a yoga room, a gym, and several treatment rooms. In addition to the 25-metre-long main swimming pool, the equipment includes a shallower, warm therapy pool. There are also two rentable saunas and a lounge on the ground floor.

Since the water level of the pools is flush with the floor, the main pool seems to extend right to the sea through the large windows, all the way to the rocky islands ahead and the horizon beyond. The amount of water is regulated by means of an equalising basin on a lower floor. When the number of people in the pools increases, the water they displace flows automatically to the equalising basin.

On the long sides of the building the walls are loadbearing, the roof is partly of hollow-core slabs and the pool area is covered by double T slabs. The ground floor is built entirely and the first floor partly of inner leaf elements. The facade cladding is mainly white insulated render; the recesses of large windows and glass doors have yellow and red hues as effect colours. In the interiors, the walls of the lounge and bathing area are clad with travertine tiling, and the floors have ceramic tiling of matching hue. The ceilings of the sauna are clad with alder battening.