Columbus Aquatic Center

Our design team collaborated with Hecht Burdeshaw Architects for the purpose of teaming for this assignment in an effort to ensure the project would have local design influence.  This team approach lead to creative and innovative thinking along with early successes in the development of the project.  The resulting project is on track to be LEED Silver Certified and includes a City Services Center, a Parking Deck, and a Natatorium. As the Executive Architect on the project, our team designed the Natatorium and all the outdoor spaces including the main space between the buildings deemed the ‘community quilt’ in effort to reflect Columbus’ diverse community coming together to gather in a common place.

Located on a very challenging site due to existing context and poor soil conditions, the team utilized a language that tied with other recent prominent city buildings. Siting of these buildings, combined with scale, orientation, and materials, provide a sense of welcomed authority. The Natatorium’s entrance terminates the south edge of the community quilt and serves as a light-filled entry during the day and a beacon at night. All the building services are organized in a “brick bar” and all the public spaces are clad with glass and metal finishes to enable an abundance of natural light. The community quilt is an outdoor space that is a combination of hardscape materials and landscaping to provide shade on warm summer days.