Overview
The Water Park Resort is an indoor and outdoor water park attached to an existing resort hotel in the southeastern United States. The outdoor water park includes a water slide tower, a beach-style pool, two terraces, and a play pool. The interior portion contains three stories in a large atrium with curtain walls on four sides and a transparent roofing system. The first floor contains a series of water attractions, including a river rapids, a wave rider, a lazy river, and an activity pool. The second story wraps around the perimeter of the atrium, leaving a large opening to below in the middle. This area contains a quieter children’s pool area as well as a sun deck, a restaurant, and access to the attached hotel on the southeast side. The third floor is only on the east side of the atrium and contains an adult pool and bar area.
Project Team
Architect
Structural
M/E/FP
Lighting
Water Park
Landscape
Civil
AV/Tele/Data
Contractor
Building Information
Occupancy Type
Construction Type
Size
Building Height
Project Delivery Type
Dates of Construction
Applicable Codes
Zoning
Group Assembly (A-3)
1B Fire Resistive Non-Combustible
100,000 sf interior, 150,000 sf exterior
80 ft. (three stories)
Design-Bid-Build
Jan. 2017 - Dec. 2017 (estimated)
2012 IBC, 2012 IPC, 2012 IMC, 2012 IFGC, 2012 IFC, 2012 IECC, ICC A117.1-2009 Accessible and Useable Buildings and Facilities
Commercial Attraction: Intended for a wide range of amusement, recreational, and retail support uses typically associated with the tourist industry
Building Enclosure
· Concrete slab first and second floor, steel decking third floor
· CMU interior walls
· Concrete shear walls on south façade
· Curtain walls on all four exterior walls
· ETFE roof over the majority of the building with curved truss structure
Sustainability
· Extensive use of daylighting with curtain walls on four sides and ETFE roof system
· Green walls bring in elements of nature
Site Plan
Lighting
The indoor water park space is primarily daylit by the large, north-facing façade and the ETFS roof. High-power floodlights mounted to the roof trusses provide the majority of the supplemental lighting. Feature walls are highlighted using rows of flood lights. All other lighting is minimal.
Electrical
A 400A and 1000A switchboard provide 480/277V power to the inside and outside, respectively. A 750 kW generator provides emergency power. The water system motors require a large amount of power, which is supplied by a series of individual transformers. Everything uses 480/27V power except for the lighting, which is 120/208V.
Mechanical
Due to the nature of the space, the Water Park Resort will have a significant HVAC load. The majority of the equipment resides in a mechanical room on the west side of the first floor. Four identical 60,000 CFM air handling units provide for the pool area. Two identical 1300 GPM water chillers are located on the roof of the building. The second floor kitchen contains additional exhaust.
Audio/Visual
The audio/visual system contains of speakers placed throughout the atrium space for ambient music. A control panel is located on the second floor, on the southeast side behind the registration desk.
Fire Protection
A wet sprinkler system is used on all three stories of the building.
Structural
The building is composed of concrete slab floors, curtain walls, concrete shear walls, and ETFE roofing. 4” concrete slabs are used for the first and second floor and steel decking is used for the third floor. All fours sides of the building contain curtain walls. A total of five shear walls on the north and south facades provide structural support. The majority of the interior walls are CMU. The curved ETFS roof is supported by five trusses, as shown below.
Construction
One of the main challenges with constructing the Water Park Resort is that it is an addition to a fully-functional, existing resort. The existing parking lot must demolished for excavation of the site. A fire lane and egress route must be maintained at all times on the south side of the site, for the hotel. In addition, care must be taken not to disrupt hotel guests during construction.
Transportation
Two elevators provide vertical transportation on the east side of the building. One is intended for guest use and the other back-of-house use. Stairs are also provided at various locations throughout, for general use and for egress.
