The Dana Point Aqua Center seeks to respond to the dynamic nature of its site. There are two fluctuating tides which drastically alter the environment. One is the tide of water, the other is the tide of people. The tide of water, controlled by the movement of the moon, fluctuates at a fairly constant rate similar to a sin curve. The tide of people, which is effected by social and cultural forces, is inconstant and changing. The form of the Aqua Center is informed by four basic relationships: public vs. private, wet vs. dry, indoor vs. outdoor, and building vs. land. First, the building is separated into public spaces and private spaces. The aquatic facility is private and is located on the first floor. The second floor, which is accessed through a bridge, is completely public. It is the continuation of the promenade.The wet spaces of the center are pushed to the West side of the building. They are mostly open to provide sunlight and heat for the swimmers, although some areas of the pools are shaded to provide a variety. The dry spaces of the center are mainly located on the east side of the building, and are mostly indoors. The triangulated skin of the building responds to the Basalt rocks which slope down into the water. The form of the rocks is that of surfaces which are non-normal to one another. The design of the building abstracts the experiential aspects of the rocks? form into a triangulated skin, and mirrors the sloping of the rocks to the water on the North side of the building. The South side of the building is kept open and porous to allow sunlight to penetrate inside.