Susan B. Fleck
Pike High School Natatorium
Indianapolis
Architect/Aquatic Designer/Landscape Architect: Fanning Howey
Aquatic Consultant: Bill Robertson Pool Design
Builder: J.C. Ripberger Construction Corporation
Structural/Civil Engineer: TLF
School spirit
In addition to hosting local swim meets, the facility needed to house swimming lessons for the city’s fourth graders, all of whom are automatically enrolled in learn-to-swim programs.
With this renovation, the high school increased its pool water surface area by 125%, resulting in 16,158 square feet and making it one of Indiana’s largest competition and instructional pool complexes.
The 25-yard-by-50-meter competition pool has 10 lanes and a diving well. It adjoins a 46-by-75-foot instructional and warm-up pool. A small waterway connects the two, allowing swimmers to toggle back and forth for warm ups and cool downs. Bulkheads convert the larger pool into various configurations for flexible programming. Plentiful decking around the shallower pool accommodates instructors.
Shortly upon its opening in 2015, five state records were broken, and the natatorium signed on to host the 2017 Indiana State Swimming Championships. Designers attribute the improved speeds primarily to a state-of-the-art gutter system that instantly captures dynamic surge from displacement without bounce-back. But other factors contributed, such as the 2 meters of water under the blocks, wave-quelling lane lines and touch-pad placement.
For the color scheme, the team drew primarily from a calming, water-leaning palette of grays, white and a gradation of blues, seen in the ceiling, wall panels and ceramic tile decking. But this is no easygoing color story, as accents in the team’s red jolt visitors into school spirit.
Go team!