Soon, it will boast yet another unique architectural gem — a public pool designed by star Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer.

"This is a work that was created for the people, for youth, and for health," Niemeyer, 97, said in a video statement from his home in Rio De Janeiro.

Niemeyer presented his design for the $2 million project to city officials on Wednesday. His plans include a sauna section, a wellness area, several swimming pools and a rest area spread out over a grassy landscape of hills and valleys.

Niemeyer is one of the leading representatives of the classical modern architecture. His most important projects include designs for Brasilia, the Brazilian capital city that has been UNESCO world heritage site since 1987.

He also worked with masters such as Le Corbusier and Lucio Costa on such diverse projects as a cultural center in Le Havre, France, the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in Hyde Park, London, and the United Nations building in New York.

Potsdam-based architectural and engineering firm Kock and Luenz, which also designed the Volkswagen Design Center in Potsdam, will oversee construction of the project.

For Potsdam, a city which recently lost its bid to become European Cultural Capital for 2010, the Niemeyer pool has become something of a point of pride.