Underwater Chaise Lounge a Draw at Texas Tech

To the underwater bench and conversation pit, you can add the underwater chaise lounge as a method of encouraging socializing in college leisure pools. Brinkley Sargent Architects of Dallas, working in conjunction with aquatic design engineers Counsilman-Hunsaker of St. Louis, created such a component at the Texas Tech Student Leisure Pool. Tilted slightly and oriented toward the afternoon sun, the 335-square-foot contoured bench enables swimmers to lounge while partially submerged in water that ranges from several inches deep at the knees to one foot deep at the curved gutter along the pool's inside radius. Unlike other small-volume bodies of water such as tot pools, where the risk of a fecal accident calls for a closed mechanical system, this one connects to the main leisure pool, and its slightly higher water elevation allows the pool to be drained by gravity for winterization and maintenance purposes. Although rubber surfacing might offer more comfort, the pool utilizes mosaic tile for reasons of aesthetics, as well as ease of anthropomorphic contouring and ongoing maintenance.

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