Bigger hot tubs, lots of light and natural air flow.
Those are among the features being built into new pools, says Darryl Condon, managing principal of Hughes Condon Marler Architects, which recently released its first book surveying its top aquatic centres over the past 20 years.
The publication - Pools: Aquatic Architecture - focuses on nine of its designs including Coquitlam's award-winning Chimo Pool, a $12.4-million replacement that opened in 2008 next to the renovated Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex.
Condon said the 38,000 sq. ft. facility was made part of the book because of its "green" sustainability standards: solar water heating, permeable paving, rainwater retention, and recycled, non-toxic building materials, for example.
And, Condon said, some of the "lessons" used in designing Chimo were implemented in the firm's next pool project: Vancouver's Hillcrest aquatic and fitness centre, an Olympic site.
Chimo, Condon said, "is a really good example of a community pool because it exhibits many (or all) or the qualities that we try to integrate into a contemporary pool in terms of its openness, the quality of light and the air."
But construction wasn't easy, he said. The city contract came at a pre-Olympic time when it was hard to nail down tradespeople and costs were very high. "Chimo certainly wasn't safe from the dynamics of that market," he said.
Still, Chimo was a leader in linking its ice arena to its pool. Not only did the connection allow for an energy transfer between the two buildings but it also created a new sports campus for residents. That model can be seen at more public buildings and institutions today, he said.
Pools, Condon said, aren't just a place for fitness anymore. The social aspect is also key when building new aquatic centres, especially as the population ages.
Cities and institutions are asking for bigger hot tubs and more "inviting and enriching" experiences for the users, he said. "A good pool is where people are interested in sticking around, to relax and to be part of the scene."
The other pools detailed in the company's book are: the West Vancouver Aquatic and Community Centre; Hillcrest (Vancouver); Eileen Dailly (Burnaby); Walnut Grove (Langley); Sungod (North Delta); Legends (Oshawa); Killarney (east Vancouver); and Grandview (Surrey).
Pools: Aquatic Architecture by Hughes Condon Marler Architects is available online at www.oroeditions.com//book/pools.
