Albany Stadium Pool making waves in community recreation
At a glance
Auckland Council aspired to establish a unique community pool in the Albany area that would enhance the existing pool offerings and provide sports and training amenities to its community.
The challenge
The scope identified for the Albany Stadium Pool project was to build a 4,200 m2 complex that provided a leisure facility for all age and lifestyle groups within the local community. The focus of the external design focus was to complement the existing Albany QBE Stadium and contribute positively to the Albany recreational precinct area.
Our response
The Albany Stadium Pool provides a versatile and engaging facility that is hugely popular with the local community. Designed with a focus on leisure, learning to swim and physical fitness, the pool caters to people of all ages and abilities. The expansive pool complex features a range of water depths and types, including a large pool dedicated to teaching swimming classes and a mezzanine fitness suite overlooking the pool halls. To provide a more efficient use of space and management, gender-specific change rooms were replaced with a European-style “change village”.
The polycarbonate cladding system used for the building creates a stunning visual impact, making the pool a well-recognised focal point on the Albany landscape. The pool has exceeded all of Auckland Council’s visitor forecasts, generating significant revenue through additional features such as a gym and a large learn-to-swim pool that responds to the growing demand for swimming lessons.
The pool features a progression of water depth and toys, including a zero-depth water area with passive and active features, a children’s pool with beach entry, a water play structure and a main leisure pool targeting teenagers with a stepped and ramped entry. Depths range from 600 mm to 2.5 metres, some of which feature an aquatic climbing wall and lily pads for children.
The building occupies an area of approximately 4,200 m2, including a water area of 1,000 m2, fitness suite of 650 m2, and pool plant of 560 m2, with the remainder of the area devoted to storage, administration, changing and circulation facilities.
The impact
With its unique design and innovative features, the pool is a shining example of a sustainable and community-focused facility that offers something for everyone.