RecPlex Aqua Arena

Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
Construction Cost: $10.3 million
Area / Square Feet: 42,000
Occupancy Date: June 2010

The latest addition to the Village of Pleasant Prairie’s RecPlex, the 10-lane, 50-meter pool with a capacity for nearly 600 spectators was designed as a premier destination for fitness, training and competition. In lieu of a typical shallow end, the pool features a shallow middle, which allows for 2-meter or greater depths for competitive starts and deep underwater kicking at both ends of the pool. A double bulkhead configuration provides maximum programming flexibility.

Economical building materials such as precast concrete and standard steel roof joists provided significant savings, which were then invested in more efficient pool and mechanical systems, including a lake loop geothermal system. This system features nearly 12 miles of coiled tubing, submerged at the bottom of an adjacent lake, to heat and cool the building and its pool and domestic hot water. High-performance air handling combines with the pool’s UV water-treatment system to essentially eliminate chloramine odors.

Abundant natural light also helps create a comfortable indoor environment. Translucent panels along the mezzanine’s south wall are protected from glare by a large overhang that diminishes solar heat gain. With spectator views directed northward, floor-to-roof glazing at the pool’s northeast and northwest corners introduces indirect northern light and provides views to adjacent lake and park areas.