Architecture studio Henning Larsen has won a competition to design a swimming pool to replace Gothenburg's historic Valhallabadet with a timber-framed building that will also house other sports facilities.

Henning Larsen will deliver the project with Swedish studio Winell & Jern Architects, engineering firm Ramboll and John Dohlsten, a sports science lecturer at the University of Gothenburg.

The 51,850-square-metre building will have a gridded timber facade and large windows, as well as a walkable green roof. Inside will be Olympic-standard swimming pools, alongside family and learning pools, sports halls, a gym, and outdoor facilities.

Centralbadet will also feature cafes and saunas, with outdoor gyms, running tracks and terraces located on the roof.

The building will have a concrete base wrapped in recycled bricks to provide stability for the pool basins, but the design then transitions to timber – including long-span glued-laminated (glulam) beams specifically designed for humid environments – on the upper part of the building.

Henning Larsen said the timber elements will be designed for disassembly and reuse so that the swimming pool can be "resilient and long-lasting".

Inside Centralbadet, timber will also be used for interior partitions and ceiling elements where possible.

"Centralbadet is about more than pools and courts, it's about everyday experiences that bring people together," said Henning Larsen design director Martin Stenberg Ringnér.

"We have designed the space to ensure every visit prioritizes social and health benefits, creating a democratic space where everyone can feel welcome," he continued.

"From quiet nooks to lively terraces, from playful learning pools to sunlit rooftops, every visit will feel welcoming and connected to the rhythms of the city."

The Centralbadet plans have been surrounded by controversy as the new building will involve the demolition of a historic swimming pool, Valhallabadet, which opened in 1956 and is used by half a million swimmers per year.

Protestors who spoke to Dezeen said the demolition would be a "waste of history".

However, Henning Larsen said its design will honour the existing pool and that part of it was informed by Valhallabadet's striking mosaic.

"The design draws inspiration from Gothenburg's beloved Valhallabadet, continuing the city's legacy of public swimming," Henning Larsen said.

"The design honours this legacy through art, landscape and urban connections – from the landscaped Valhallagade to pathways echoing Nils Wendel's iconic mosaic walls."

Centralbadet is planned to open in 2031. Henning Larsen was revealed as the winning studio in an anonymous competition, selected ahead of firms including BIG and Wingårdh Arkitektkontor.

The City of Gothenburg also revealed that Swedish studio White Arkitekter has been chosen to design the city's new Arenakvarter neighbourhood.

The images are courtesy of Henning Larsen.