public pool design

As commercial and institutional aquatic facilities become increasingly multi-dimensional, says architect/watershaper Treadwell Jones, they also need to move beyond being simply functional to make strong aesthetic statements as well. Here, he defines the opportunities designers have to move beyond the boxy rectangular designs of years gone by, using his own recent work to illustrate some of the compelling and creative possibilities.

Public Statements

When it comes to the old buildings that people most want to preserve, the good-looking ones always top the list. These structures are cherished because they make strong aesthetic statements and are often associated with a given period of history, a particular architect or a specific design movement. As an architect working to create public and institutional aquatic complexes, I try to think of my designs in those enduring terms. In other words, I want to develop watershapes that make strong aesthetic statements and therefore have a chance to be cherished and therefore stand a better chance of being preserved, well used and enjoyed for generations to come. I do so because a facility that is both functional and beautiful will, I think, inevitably be of greater value to its community than one that is simply functional. Ugly buildings do the exact same job as beautiful ones in sheltering human activities, but which are more likely to generate excitement, enjoyment and value for the long haul? The answer, I think, is obvious. As a result, I see aquatic facilities as places that should be