The Saarland municipality in Eppelborn, Germany, renovated its local Hellberg Sports Centre in an effort to enhance the guest experience and meet environmental targets. As part of the year-long upgrade in 2025 by 3pe, ventilation, swimming pool, electrical, and building automation systems were modernised and all ceiling solutions were replaced to improve acoustic comfort and elevate the design of the facility.
Colour Zoning Across the Swimming Pool
The swimming pool is a key focus of the acoustic strategy, as these leisure spaces generate high noise levels due to hard surfaces, splashing water, and lively activity. To optimise the swimming pool acoustics, Rockfon Color-all acoustic ceiling tiles were installed across 650 square metres. Their Chicago Metallic ceiling grid interplays with the palette.
The Rockfon Color-all shades Sandalwood, Chalk, Stucco, and Fresh are arranged dynamically above the main pool and create a playful pattern. According to the architects, the aim was to use colour and sequencing to create connections between movement and perception. "The colours stand for water, energy and closeness to nature and subconsciously encourage guests to move", explains 3pe architect Eva Tekle. "The free arrangement creates a feeling of lightness and activity. In contrast, the light beige Stucco colour at the edge has a calming and balancing effect. It begins where the pool ends and also helps with orientation – for example, when swimming backstroke and one needs to recognise how far the pool still extends. The visual frame therefore not only serves as an aesthetic border but also provides spatial orientation and safety".
A Sports Centre that Handles the Impact
In addition to the ceilings in the swimming pool facility, those in the sports hall were renewed. In such areas, when noise levels rise and balls hit the ceiling at high speed, the ceiling must not only withstand physical impact but also effectively absorb the resulting sound. Here, the architects opted for Rockfon Boxer, impact-resistant acoustic ceiling tiles with a micro-textured reinforced fleece for enhanced protection.
1200 square metres of Rockfon Boxer tiles were installed into Olympia Plus A Impact 1A, a system that utilises the Chicago Metallic 50mm Bandraster 3050 grid. Together, the components meet the strictest impact resistance standards, Class 1A, in accordance with EN13964-Annex D.
With Rockfon acoustic ceiling solutions and Chicago Metallic grids installed across the facility, the noise levels in the complex are controlled and are within the defined limits for staff and guests. Now, every zone supports focused activity, acoustic comfort, and intuitive wayfinding. The team went from managing outdated facilities to offering a refreshed, vibrant leisure environment with Rockfon acoustic ceiling solutions and 3pe’s strategic design vision.
