Located in Santa Clara’s Central Park along a major thoroughfare, the new and expanded International Swim Center, Community Recreation Center, and International Swimming Hall of Fame re-envision the George F. Haines International Swim Center, which, built in 1968, has had a distinguished history of producing Olympic swimmers, synchronized swimmers and divers. The design of the new, 130,000-sf center consists of a curvilinear landscape circulation podium, which blends in with the park and is anchored by a circular diving arena, a 50-meter training pool, and a 50-meter competition pool with covered stadium seating. The interior of the podium, which houses the Community Recreation Center, will include a state-of-the-art gymnasium, exercise studios, an indoor fitness course, and an indoor recreational pool. Atop the podium, three translucent, polycarbonate clad masses containing the gymnasium and a community room anchor the park-side of the community center. At night, these masses softly glow within the depth of the park, creating beacons of light, drawing visitors to the facility. The podium’s landscaped, accessible roof provides a gathering area for visitors and leads to the main entrance of the dive arena. The arena’s colored glass fin facade is designed to replicate the movement of flowing water and is illuminated at night to provide a landmark for the City. Inside the arena lies the International Swimming Hall of Fame, a museum that celebrates the history of swimming in the United States and around the world. This LEED Platinum-targeted, net-zero-energy, and resilient design will return a world-class aquatics venue to the City of Santa Clara.
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