At first glance, it appears to be just another brown building on the docks in Le Havre, France.  However, Jean Nouvel, who won a Pritzker Architecture Prize, reinvented the concept of a public pool.  When one enters the $29 million Les Bains des Docks aquatic center, it is a world of white surroundings and inviting pools. Jean Nouvel and his team limited reverberation in the aquatic center, to limit the echos that frequently accompany pools. 

Inside, the complex houses 12 pools, which include external pools, heated pools, whirlpool, sauna, an Olympic sized pool, a cafeteria, and more.  Besides the pools, the complex also contains a dry cardio fitness area and a children’s play area.   Les Bains des Docks is open year round, and offers a place to swim in heated pools in the winter.