#SIZEWISE NET FULL#
#SIZEWISE NET FREE#

This is typically achieved by providing tiered seating at an upper level with either no access or controlled access to the pool deck. Sometimes, spectators in street clothes are isolated from the pool deck altogether. For programming purposes, 6 net square feet for each seat should be anticipated. Spectator seating can considerably increase the building footprint. For national meets, seating requirements can range from 1,000 to 2,500, and for international events the number typically increases to between 5,000 and 10,000. The deck may need to be wider at particular areas to accommodate spectators and teams, a diving program or special out-of-water instructional space.Ĭompetition pools usually include spectator seating for a minimum of 300 to 500 people.

When possible, entrances from public corridors and locker rooms should be located at the shallow end of the pool. At a minimum, 10 to 15 feet should be allocated for the deck on all four sides around the water for safety purposes. Appropriate dimensions for the deck vary based on the number of users and activities occurring in the pool itself.

The second most important component is the deck around the pool, which in natatoriums is used primarily for instruction, coaching and preparation for activities within the water.

The pool is the largest single program element. The pool, the surrounding deck and the spectator seating are the primary components within the natatorium environment. This design approach helps to enliven the entire building and generates new user interest in water sports. The volume of the space in which the pool is located is usually one of the largest in the building, and should be considered a showpiece - an activity space that can be viewed from major circulation areas or other activity spaces. For competition venues, as well as those with specific multiple uses, the overall net natatorium area could increase to five times the water surface area.

#SIZEWISE NET FULL#

Not only will there be critical adjacencies within pool-related spaces, the pool will also likely be part of a larger recreation or athletic facility, and certain global adjacencies will be necessary to ensure proper functioning.Ī general rule of thumb is that the total net area of the full natatorium for the bare essentials (the pool and deck, changing rooms, offices, equipment and storage areas) is equal to three times the water surface area of the pool. Outdoor club and specialized activities such as scuba/ water rescue, canoe/kayak and synchronized swimming, along with programs for physical therapy and rehabilitation, will all vie for special dimensions, temperatures, times and space within the natatorium.Īn unfortunate outcome of this battle for water rights is that a pool may be sized to preclude certain activities unless careful thought is given to the space's programming and priorities.īefore you can determine the right pool size, it is important to understand the associated spaces necessary to support the water itself. Since the pool will in the most likely scenario be used for competitions, the needs of spectators as well as visiting teams will also have to be considered.

#SIZEWISE NET FREE#

Indeed, with many pools financed through student referendums as part of larger recreational complexes, a natatorium will have to maximize recreational use (such as free swim, water aerobics classes and learn-to-swim programs) in order to meet the needs of just about everyone, including recreational users, faculty/staff members and community members.ĭetermining what size pool is the most appropriate for your college or university, then, will hinge on identifying the primary and secondary users of the facility - and then planning for all the other users, too. A natatorium can host competitions in different sports (swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, water polo) and of different levels (Olympic, intercollegiate, secondary school), and will also see its share of recreational and therapeutic swimmers. Certainly, there are few more expensive on a square-foot basis, considering the natatorium's associated mechanical systems, foundations and support spaces such as multiple locker and shower rooms.īeyond engineering, though, what makes the college natatorium difficult to design is the sheer number and variety of users who will have a stake in the final product. There is probably no building on a college or university campus as complicated to plan as a natatorium. Choosing whether to construct a 25-, 35- or 50-meter pool raises a host of design, planning, construction and operational issues.

Sizewise net