The La Joya (Texas) Water Park & Planetarium, which features a natatorium enclosure by New Hampshire-based Structures Unlimited, Inc., was a distinguished winner in Learning By Design’s 2020 Educational Facilities Design Awards program.
The expansive project, built by the La Joya Independent School District to serve its students and the public, includes a water park, planetarium and a natatorium featuring a 10-lane competition pool and two diving boards. The enclosure features two retractable roof systems designed by Structures Unlimited for natural ventilation and a corrosion-resistant aluminum structure.
The park is the first complex of its kind in Texas owned by a school district and can welcome 1,200 guests at a time. The project was named one of Learning By Design’s Outstanding Project winners.
Learning By Design is produced three times a year in partnership with the American Institute of Architects’ Committee on Architecture for Education, the Association for Learning Environments, the Society for College and University Planners, and the Association of University Interior Designers. The Spring Educational Facilities Showcase is a national juried program based on quality, design and community impact of a project.
“To earn the respect of such a prestigious jury is quite an accomplishment,” says Mark McNichol, Director of Sales for Structures Unlimited. “This was a complex project and the ability of Structures Unlimited to provide a single-source, pre-engineered solution for the natatorium was something the design team was seeking.”
“It’s critical that the glare off the water in a pool is minimized for the safety of the swimmers, and that is what we are able to provide with our structures incorporating Kalwall® translucent sandwich panels. Diffused natural daylight provides the perfect setting for natatoriums.”
Gignac & Associates, LLP of McAllen, Texas was the architect, D. Wilson Construction of McAllen was the general contractor and Counsilman-Hunsaker of Richardson, Texas was the aquatic design consultant.
About Structures Unlimited
For over 50 years, Structures Unlimited, Inc. has been creating the most energy-efficient, diffuse-light-transmitting skylights, enclosures and natatoriums with clear spans over 100 feet. A unique technology of our own self-supporting aluminum structure is blended with Kalwall® translucent sandwich panels to form a total composite system — pre-engineered, prefabricated and factory pre-finished for structural, energy-efficient, maintenance-free performance. The balanced daylighting achieved by these highly corrosion-resistant, energy-efficient structures opens up a world of design and engineering possibilities to architects and building designers.
