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Impianti Sportivi

The International Notice for architectural design of the Olympic Pool of Taranto has been published

After defining in detail the functional and dimensional aspects of the Taranto Olympic pool and carrying out the necessary archaeological tests to define its precise location in the area overlooking the Torre d’Ayala and facing the sea, today the contest notice has been published for the search for a design of international level that allows integrating a modern image and high architectural quality with the territorial and landscape context redefining and marking the waterfront of Taranto ahead of the 2026 Mediterranean Games.
The pool will be overlooking the Great Sea and will allow swimming in the pool but also open water:
Above all, it will be an architectural sign visible from the sea. The project represents a flag plant for the
event and the city and will be a reference point for Italian swimming. The notice was published in the
Official Journal and on the platform design contest by the Organizing Committee TA2026. The contest will
develop based on the preliminary project, drawn up by the regional agency ASSET Puglia, with which the functional spaces, the dimensioning and the design criteria of the swimming facility based on eco-sustainability have been identified, on energy self-sufficiency and technological innovation. National and international design groups will be able to participate, demonstrating high professionalism and experience in the architectural and landscape field. The Chrono program previews a first phase that will be concluded first March 2023; then by March ten, the international commission appointed by the Organizing Committee will select the best five proposals admitted to the second project phase, which will end on April 9th with the presentation of architectural projects.

On April 14th, the final ranking will be published and the winning group will be announced which will have to submit the complete technical-economic feasibility project preparatory to the works contract by 23rd June. The Swimming Stadium provides the possibility of holding international events thanks to two pools of 50 meters, one indoor and the other outdoor, in addition to support services for athletes and for the public with a differentiation of paths. The position facing the sea and the urban location requires a thorough study of landscape insertion and an architectural quality that minimizes the environmental impact characterizing the waterfront with an iconic sign that constitutes a positive legacy for the city of Taranto.

“For this so important plant – emphasizes Rinaldo Melucci, mayor of Taranto, president of the Province and the Organizing Committee of the XX Games – we expect a wide and qualified contribution to the project at the height of what the Games represent for Taranto. We are not talking about a simple event limited in time, but an opportunity that will leave the territory with a lasting legacy
and capable of expressing long-term benefits, especially for our young swimming champions such as
Benedetta Pilato and Luca Serio but we hope it is for all the many guys who will want to replicate the exploits. The Swimming Stadium will be a valuable element of regeneration that, through other initiatives, will involve the entire city prospectus on the Mar Grande, making Taranto a reference for the pool sports of the whole South. This announcement moreover shows how much the entire administrative machine is
concentrated on the objective of the realization of the masterplan in time for 2026, erasing any kind of
speculation that we leave to those who are poorly used to working seriously for the good of the
community”.
Ends Vincenzo Di Gregorio, regional councillor delegate to the Mediterranean Games:
“The Swimming Stadium is one of the great works included in the Masterplan of Taranto2026. A prestigious infrastructure that will improve the level of sports equipment not only in Puglia but throughout Southern Italy. The time available is tight that’s why it is necessary the maximum engagement of the technical and administrative structures. However, at the same time, the political component must be solid and cohesive. As delegate councillor from the President of Puglia Region Michele Emiliano, I am already at work for the success of this important appointment. In a meeting held in recent days, we traced the main steps of the approach to the Games; 2023 will be an important year to define a series of interventions and procedures before the opening of the yards”.