AQUATIC TRANSFORMATION By Victoria Webster, Project Assistant, Essenza Architecture
Scott Carpenter Park and Pool is a community park located in Boulder, Colorado that provides a wide variety of recreational facilities including swimming pools, skate park, open turf field, diamond fields, and the space themed playground in honor of the park’s namesake, astronaut and aquanaut Scott Carpenter, a former Boulder resident. Over the past several years the pool facilities have undergone a major renovation and transformation that represents what was desired most by the community, user groups, and stakeholders. The design team was tasked with creating
an iconic, state-of-the-art facility that promotes inclusiveness, accessibility, sustainability, durability, while honoring and nurturing the existing mature trees and established astronaut theme. We transformed and repurposed the existing building into a low maintenance, durable facility with a warm mountain feel that is a reflection of the Flatiron formations in the foothills of Boulder. The renovated facility opened in summer of 2020 and included a new 50-meter outdoor pool, a double waterslide tower, an 8,000 square foot recreation pool that includes a
diving board, jumping platform, drop slide, climbing wall, lazy river, zero depth entry, and an outer-space themed water play feature. In addition to the pools there is a 2,000 square foot splash pad featuring a 20-foot-tall rocket ship that ties back to the existing historic rocket ship playground feature. Colorado has only a handful of outdoor 50-meter pools and this feature certainly makes the Scott Carpenter Park a destination for competitive swimmers. The additional fun water amenities provide engaging activities for people of all ages. The heavily renovated bathhouse features
Photos: Philip Wegener
26 • Colorado Byline | Fall 2020
