Niles North High School in Skokie, Ill., recently renovated and expanded its aquatics center to improve competitive and educational swimming programs, promote community participation and enhance safety. The new 24,630-square-foot aquatics center, designed by Legat Architects, Chicago, is distinguished by its curved ceiling that reaches one story high at one end and two stories high at the other. Creating a dramatic exterior profile, its interior exposed structural ceiling provides visual interest with a light and airy atmosphere.
The aquatics center accommodates 500 spectators in the mezzanine and 180 athletes on the pool deck. There is also a new eight-lane stretch pool with moveable bulkhead. It was constructed with Norfolk, Neb.-based Vulcraft Group‘s arched chord joists, roof deck and composite floor decking. Due to the ceiling’s exposed nature, the aesthetics of the ceiling joists were an integral component in the design.
For the project, Vulcraft worked with the structural engineer, KJWW Engineering Consultants, Chicago, early in the design phase to develop the profile, size of members and the connections to ensure appropriate loads on both the joists and steel structure.
Vulcraft manufactured its DLH Special Joists, a combination of 1 1/2-inch Type B roof deck and 4 1/2-inch Epic Wide Deck WP450A, and 2-inch composite floor deck. Vulcraft’s arched chord joists were chosen for its ability to withstand the high humidity of an indoor pool. Vulcraft was able to easily manufacture the material due to the repetitive design of the 20 exposed ceiling joists.
The exposed ceiling was chosen to eliminate the moisture trap that exists in the unconditioned space between a hard ceiling and roof, a common problem with indoor pool facilities. Additionally, the structural system was selected for its structural integrity, ability to withstand high humidity and Vulcraft’s ability to fabricate the curved shape easily.
To emphasize the curve, one end of the ceiling rests on slanted columns. Since this required the ability to flex, moveable slip connections were required between the joists and the slanted columns.
Additionally, the school completed a 14,570-square-foot renovation of the existing pool, including corridors, locker rooms, new pool and deck surfaces, support space, plumbing, roof and efficient lighting and mechanical systems.
Legat Architects led a design charrette during which community members and student athletes joined school board members, district staff, architects and engineers.
“A collaborative spirit carried us throughout this process,” says Dr. Ryan McTague, principal of Niles North High School. “The result is a flexible center that will cater to a wide array of users.”
The design and construction of the new aquatics center was also incorporated into the high school’s architecture/engineering class curriculum.
Michael Maloney, design director at Legat Architects, says: “We involved the students in the building process by conducting presentations about the design and providing tours during construction. The project became a living classroom that the students saw and touched and related back to the materials that they were studying in class.”
The aquatics center is home to year-round competitive swimming programs hosted by the local school district, along with
Illinois Swimming and USA Swimming. The facility also hosts outside swimming and diving clinics. “The Niles North aquatics center leaves a lasting impression for up-and-coming swimmers,” says six-time Olympic medalist Matt Grevers. “The air quality, pool and facility are exemplary.”
Completed in September 2013, the $15 million project is registered for the USGBC‘s LEED for Schools Gold certification, the first facility of its kind in Illinois. It is designed to reduce energy by 44 percent, resulting in an annual savings of 31.5 percent.
It was important for the owner to establish a sustainable design standard for the aquatics facility and achieve ADA compliance. Sustainable features includes a daylight harvesting system, lighting controls, occupancy sensors, water-efficient systems that reduce water use by 42 percent compared to industry standards, and heat-recovery dehumidification units that reduce CO2 emissions by 65 percent.
The design also uses a PAC-CLAD metal standing seam roof from Petersen Aluminum Corp., Elk Grove Village, Ill., and Reynobond aluminum composite metal panels at the exterior roof soffits/overhang from Alcoa Architectural Products, Eastman, Ga.
Aquatics Center, Niles North High School, Skokie, Ill.
Awards: 2014 NuHeights Design Award by Vulcraft/Verco Group; 2014 Chicago Building Congress Merit Award
Finalist; Award of Merit from the 2013 Exhibition of Educational Environments IASB/IASA/IASBO; and
Honorable Mention from the 2013 Steel Joist Institute Design Awards
Architect: Legat Architects, Chicago
General contractor: IHC Construction, Elgin, Ill.
Structural engineer: KJWW Engineering Consultants, Chicago
Aluminum composite metal panels: Reynobond by Alcoa Architectural Products, Eastman, Ga.
Joists and decking: Vulcraft Group, Norfolk, Neb.
Metal roof panels: Petersen Aluminum Corp., Elk Grove Village, Ill.