Lou Costello Pool + Bathhouse
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ARCHITECTURAL TEAM | John Sparano, Anne Mooney, Ludwing Juarez, Jorge Beltran, Nathan Webster
AQUATIC | Rowley International Inc.
CIVIL | Civil Trans Inc.
ELECTRICAL | Silver, Roth & Associates Inc.
LANDSCAPE | Withers & Sandgren
MECHANICAL | Maroko & Shwe Inc.
PLUMBING | Maroko & Shwe Inc.
STRUCTURAL | NAST Enterprises Corp.
This project is a re-interpretation of the iconic recreation typology of the modern Southern California public swimming pool. The project brings a new architectural consideration of the traditional enclosed bathhouse - with all its program elements hidden within distinct male and female zones - by re-imagining it as a contemporary gender-neutral, open-to-the-air configuration. The modern dressing rooms and restrooms are unisex and open at the floor, screened at the top. Sustainability is woven throughout by providing minimal heating and cooling loads, with naturally-lit and ventilated spaces and solar-heated pools in this LEED design. Materials include board-formed concrete with a high fly ash content, clear-anodized aluminum louvers and tube steel fencing with all vertical members.
Sparano + Mooney Architecture and our Los Angeles recreation architects collaborated with a local artist whose public art is designed to be integrated into the concrete wall surfaces. These cast concrete murals depict historic figures of female immigrants involved in environmental activism in the community. Within the constraints of a $4M budget, the scope of the services included the design of a new 38' x 75' competitive pool with five lanes; a new modern splash pad with play features; a new pool deck and structures to house pool accessories and service equipment; new perimeter fencing; and improvements to the site including drought-tolerant landscape, parking lots, recreational areas and spectator seating.
