Lindblom Natatorium
Chicago, IL
Located in the West Englewood neighborhood of Chicago, Lindblom Park is a sanctuary for locals. The fitness center, community rooms, and athletic facilities provide a safe and fun escape for residents of the area, known more for its violence than community assets. Understanding the value of Lidblom, the Chicago Park District decided to explore ways of enclosing the existing swimming pool in order to keep it open year round.
The Chicago park system was initially envisioned as small pockets of relief for city dwellers, and the natatorium plays on this idea of an escape - a place that is distinctly not home or work, where the demands of our daily lives disappear.
The building is filled with water which flows through the permeable flooring, coming to life as activity in the pools increase. Skylights aligned with ceiling penetrations bring controlled daylight into the building. As the sun moves across the sky, some areas of the pool are illuminated while others are not. Natural cycles, not our schedules, signal the passage of time within the building.