Complexities and special
challenges
Creating unique settings and an
atmosphere for clients to establish
a distinct sense of place is a critical
component to a successful aquatic
project, Theisen said. And careful
consideration of finish materials
such as decorative concrete, fencing,
shade structures, and site furnishings
makes a project come alive. He listed
several other special considerations
that accompany projects of this type,
including:
• Americans with Disabilities Act
accessibility. “ADA’s a big one,”
Theisen said. “You have to design
your facilities with equitable access.
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Aquatic Center
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We go beyond and try to give them
an equitable experience.”
• Code requirements. “Every state
we work in has different code
requirements. Whether it’s the
pool code review or the health
inspection, they’re all looking at
different things, so understanding
how to get through the complexities
of those different sets of
requirements can be challenging,”
he said. “We understand what
they’re looking for and can modify
our design to try and meet and
balance the needs of those different
requirement sets.”
• Design for ease of maintenance.
Ongoing maintenance of facilities
requires significant resources. As
a result, designing and managing
public spaces intelligently can
yield dramatic dividends. Through
ongoing coordination with facility
maintenance staff, managers, and
others, it’s important to design and
recommend strategies to minimize
future costs while maximizing
ecological value and recreational
advantage.
Another aquatic account
The Village of McFarland, a small
community near Madison, Wisconsin,
turned to Ayres to help generate a
master plan and feasibility study for
aquatics services. After hearing from
more and more residents that the
Village was lacking outdoor aquatics
features, officials wanted to arm
themselves with more information on
why exactly that was.
“A lot of people visualize a real tight-
knit community around the community
pool, swimming in the summer when