Reseda Community Aquatic Center

Reseda, California

Client: City of Los Angeles, The Bureau of Engineering

Aquatic Consultant: Jones Madhovan and Associates 

Structural Engineer: John Labib and Associates

MEP: Donald Dickerson and Associates

Landscape: (Softscape only) Mia Lehrer and Associates

Landscape: (hardscape, urban furniture) Lehrer Architects 

Scope and Budget: 40,000 sq. ft. $3 million 

The Bureau of Engineering (BOE) of The City of Los Angeles retained Lehrer Architects’ design services for renovation of the historic Aquatic Center, located in the heart of Reseda residential community.  The Reseda Aquatic Center is the only public pool within a five (5) mile radius and has served this community for over fifty years.  

Design includes expanding the existing parking capacity, new fence and bench design, upgrades to the existing pool building, pool and deck, all associated mechanical and electrical systems, shading structures, color schemes and site lighting.  

With no mandate from the client and working with an incredibly tight budget, architects leveraged readily available, off-the-shelf industrial materials to create 30 foot high, whimsical pavilions that dot the sparse Victory Boulevard. These dynamic structures provide much needed visual relief on a macro scale, while microcosmically they provide a more mundane function of shading pavilions and pool cabanas, greatly needed in harsh Reseda climate. 

The new facility is scheduled to open to the public in time for the 2012 season.