ABSTRACT
La Piscine is a unique example of the conversion of an industrial construction into a museum. In the early years of the twentieth century, Roubaix was one of the world’s textile capitals. La Piscine, The Swimming Pool, was built as a hygiene sanctuary in answer to the difficult lives of the working-class population. For safety reasons, it was closed down in 1985. It became a museum of art and industry, based on the diversity of the municipal collections: applied art, textiles, furniture, paintings and sculptures, without affecting the original architecture of the swimming pool. Roubaix has become a prototype for former industrial towns, investing in culture to raise their profile, revitalising the town and re-establishing a local sense of self-esteem.
