NATATORIUM COMPLEX​

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LOCATION

104 HEMLOCK DRIVE, AUBURN, AL 36832

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PROGRAM

RECREATIONAL

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SIZE

​30,000 SF​

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YEAR

2025

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LOCATED IN AUBURN, ALABAMA, ON THE FORMER SITE OF A PAUL RUDOLPH FRATERNITY HOUSE, THE NATATORIUM IS ORGANIZED THROUGH EXCAVATION, SECTIONAL MOVEMENT, AND CHANGING RELATIONSHIPS TO THE LANDSCAPE. RATHER THAN EXISTING AS A SINGULAR OBJECT PLACED ONTO THE SITE, THE PROJECT IS EMBEDDED WITHIN THE TERRAIN AND SHAPED THROUGH A SERIES OF CUTS, RETAINING WALLS, TERRACES, AND SHIFTING LEVELS.

 

THE PROGRAM INCLUDES AN INDOOR OLYMPIC LAP POOL, AN OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL POOL, LOCKER AND RESTROOM FACILITIES, A CAFÉ, RECEPTION SPACES, AND EXTERIOR GATHERING DECKS. THESE SPACES ARE DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE SITE THROUGH A SEQUENCE OF PLATFORMS, STAIRS, AND CIRCULATION PATHS THAT CONNECT THE POOLS TO THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE.

 

THE PRIMARY INDOOR POOL HALL IS ENCLOSED BY A LARGE STEEL AND GLASS STRUCTURE THAT SPANS ACROSS THE SUNKEN POOL SPACE. ANGLED STRUCTURAL MEMBERS AND SLOPING ROOF PLANES FRAME VIEWS OUTWARD WHILE BRINGING NATURAL LIGHT DEEP INTO THE INTERIOR. LARGE GLAZED OPENINGS ESTABLISH VISUAL CONTINUITY BETWEEN THE INDOOR POOL, EXTERIOR TERRACES, AND SURROUNDING SITE.

 

CONCRETE RETAINING WALLS ANCHOR THE BUILDING INTO THE GROUND AND REINFORCE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ARCHITECTURE AND EXCAVATION. EXTERIOR POOL DECKS EXTEND OUTWARD FROM THE ENCLOSED SPACES AND CREATE TRANSITIONAL CONDITIONS BETWEEN WATER, LANDSCAPE, AND CIRCULATION. CHANGES IN SECTION AND ELEVATION ALLOW THE PROJECT TO MOVE GRADUALLY BETWEEN ENCLOSED INTERIOR SPACES AND OPEN EXTERIOR GATHERING AREAS.

 

THE PROJECT FOCUSES ON ARCHITECTURE AS AN EXTENSION OF THE TERRAIN ITSELF. THROUGH EXCAVATION, STRUCTURE, AND SECTIONAL MOVEMENT, THE NATATORIUM CREATES A SEQUENCE OF SPACES SHAPED BY MOVEMENT THROUGH THE LANDSCAPE AND CHANGING RELATIONSHIPS TO THE GROUND.