Located fifteen miles north of the U.S./ Mexico border in southern San Diego County, CA, the single-story, two structure aquatic center marks the realization of National City’s long-term goal to replace a makeshift facility housed in trailers for over a decade.
The 5,500 sf complex is sited on the southern edge of a 5½-acre public park offering unobstructed views towards protected wetlands, the San Diego Bay, and beyond. The eastern structure houses a large gathering space beneath a sloping, mono-pitched roof. Perched atop its base of glass walls, the roof floats as a kite slices into the air, creating a fluid dynamic for its substantial counterpart. To the west, a glass box enclosed by 5 ft operable windows contains office spaces. A large white, concrete block structure used for boat storage and locker rooms sits alongside it.
Separate yet unified, the two buildings are enclosed and coalesced with custom galvanized steel gates clad with luminous acrylic resin panels.
