Athletics, Recreation & Aquatics

“He that will make good use of any part of his life must allow a large part of it to recreation.”
— Leonardo Da Vinci

One of the broadest and most diverse areas of expertise at TLBA is design for athletics, recreation and aquatics.  Projects range from a single user group, such as a Division I University sports facility, to parks and multi-purpose venues with active and passive recreation.  The functions may be indoors, outdoors or sometimes both.  Requirements may be very specific to ensure sanctioned competition, or very general to allow evolution of programming and flexibility.  The facility may be for a single user group, or multi-purpose with a broad range of users.

Facilities intended for sports and athletics must recognize and support the goals of the group providing the services and understand the needs of the participants and staff. For example, a facility for youth sports is quite different from a facility for college or professional athletes and many facilities must accommodate both.  One constant, however, is TLBA’s commitment to innovative design, which enhances the quality of the athletic experience for the athletes, spectators and staff.   We recognize that due to the nature of tournaments, meets, camps or clinics, venues must accommodate the athletes and their families for extended periods, often with a fair amount of “down-time”.  What is provided beyond the playing surface can contribute to the overall success of the facility by providing basic services such as food-service, clean toilet facilities and places to relax or gather.

Parks can provide both active and passive recreation and must foster a sense of relaxation and enjoyment.  Inevitably, this sense is derived from the activities within the setting.  Park buildings must be designed so that the park is the most important element, not the building.  Both the individual and the community benefit from these opportunities through improved health, social interaction and a sense of community.

A specialty within this area of expertise is aquatic facility design.  TLBA has been at the forefront of innovative aquatic design for nearly two decades. In that time, we have designed facilities that range from small wading pools and splash pads to large competition and recreation venues. While the complexities of aquatic facility design are significant, our approach to the design of all athletic and recreation design is similar and is borne of a thorough understanding of the program goals of the institution providing the athletic or recreational opportunities.  In today’s aquatic environment, we recognize that our success is dependent upon many things – meeting the challenge of providing designs that enhance the aquatic experience, providing safe environments for users and staff, and designing facilities that are durable, flexible and operational for many years.

People are, at their core, social beings.  The desire to congregate, play, socialize and compete has been documented with hieroglyphics on cave walls as early as 3200 BC.   Organized sports can be traced to the first Olympiad in 776 BC, when organizers recognized the societal benefits of competition.  While much has changed since that time, the core needs of individuals have not and TLBA is proud to play a role in this generation’s athletic and recreational endeavors.

Our Athletics, Recreation, and Aquatics Sectors:

  • Higher Education

  • State Government

  • Municipalities

  • Private Companies

  • Golf Clubs

  • Private Clubs

Our Athletics, Recreation, and Aquatics Project Experience:

  • Competitive venues

  • Recreational venues

  • Parks and leisure spaces

  • Splash Pads

  • Swimming Pools

  • Multi-use facilities

  • Camp and park structures

  • Public and private golf clubs

Our Athletics, Recreation, and Aquatics Project Approach

…is collaborative
The design of a facility used for athletics or recreation is as participant-driven as the event itself.  Not taking into consideration all stakeholders, including participants, officials, organizers, staff, spectators, and maintainers, will result in missed opportunities.  Also to be considered is the impact of the project on the community.  Whether the project is publicly funded or not, a development the scale of an athletic facility or park will most certainly raise questions over increased traffic, noise, light pollution or other quality of life and property value concerns.  Through public outreach and communication, we are able to communicate how thoughtful design can mitigate those concerns and, in many cases, describe how the development can improve the quality of life, rather than detract from it.

…is creative, flexible and responsible
Athletic and recreation facilities often change use daily, sometimes hourly.  Thoughtful design can provide flexible space that is equally appropriate for a variety of activities.  In addition to programmatic requirements, the volumes and special climate-controlled environment required of many athletic spaces require a special attention to detail, as the energy consumption and durability of the buildings can be overwhelming, if not well considered.  Our rigorous and creative design approach is paramount to creating long-lifecycle, functional and sustainable works of architecture.