Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre - HCMA Architecture + Design

Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre is located in Surrey, BC - one of Canada’s most rapidly growing cities. With growing densification came the need for recreational and community spaces that promote wellness, learning, healthy living, and athletic excellence. The City’s desire for an “iconic” destination pool to entice families, athletes and international competitions drove the design for GHAC. Through close collaboration with the client and diverse user groups, the Architect arrived at a design that maximized glazing towards the street, activating the project edge and blurring lines between interior and exterior spaces. The aquatic and fitness programs consist of a 50m lap pool designed to meet FINA standards for competitive diving, swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo, as well as a leisure pool, two hot pools, sauna and steam rooms, and a fitness centre located on the second level overlooking the natatorium. The program is contained within an undulating wood roof created by 5" x 10" glulam beams, hung like cables from post-tensioned concrete buttress at either end of the building. The dynamic roof form achieves the clear spans required for pools using a very shallow structure – reducing the building volume and amount of building envelope required, and in turn reducing operating costs related to heating and cooling as well as achieving material efficiency. Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre sets world-class Olympic pool facilities beneath the worlds longest span timber catenary roof system, while playing a vital role in accommodating the needs of its growing community.