Ralph Wright Natatorium University of Louisville

Louisville, KY
Construction Cost: $9.25 million
Area / Square Feet: 40,000
Occupancy Date: September 2005

Designed to accommodate the University of Louisville varsity swimming program as well as recreational use by students, faculty and the public, the Ralph Wright Natatorium contains a 50-meter competition swimming pool with movable bulkheads and a deep end for diving. The pool’s diving end has a multilevel tower with platforms at 5, 7.5 and 10 meters. Additionally, there are two 1-meter and two 3-meter springboards. Located adjacent to the pool area is permanent bleacher seating, as are locker areas for team and public use. The lobby features a reception/control desk area and concessions window, as well as access to a hospitality/ meeting room.

The building is constructed of ground- and split-faced concrete masonry units, along with accents of brick that match existing campus structures. However, corrugated metal paneling also figures prominently on the exterior, especially where CMU was not employed because of height and cost considerations. Canopies and columns are wrapped in composite metal paneling, while a glass curtainwall encases the natatorium’s lobby and clerestory spaces.