Therapeutic Pools for La Esperanza School / FUSTER + Architects

Architects: FUSTER + Architects
Location: San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Project Year: 2015
Photographs: Jaime Navarro

Project Team: Nataniel Fúster, Heather Crichfield, Sadie Winslow, Jose Pagán, Santiago Garramuño, Luis R. Albaladejo
Contractor: BIM Contractors

From the architect. The design of this structure follows the following premises:

The pools are designed for therapies for physically handicapped children between the ages of 5 and 16 years old — students of La Esperanza school– and the general public. Thus the green color of the exterior (‘verde esperanza’ / ‘esperanza’ green) and the word ‘Esperanza’ (hope) is written on the bottom of the main pool.

The cylindrical and curvilinear forms accentuate the introverted and welcoming character of the space creating a quiet and peaceful place for the therapies. The project is located on a vacant parking lot next to the school with the aim of connecting the pools to the school through an opening in the peripheral fence between the properties. This helped maintain a low budget and allows for possible future expansion.

The protagonist of the space is the light and the sky. One of the most important ideas behind the project was to create a unique space where light constantly changes the atmosphere providing a direct connection with nature to foster and enhance the users’ healing process. Once the user is in the pool the openings on the ceiling establish a direct connection to the sky.

Those openings have high parapets framing the sky. The idea of framing the sky is directly related to the use since therapies are done with the person floating and facing up.

Each pool is treated as an interior patio deriving its form and meaning from the vernacular and colonial architecture of Puerto Rico.

The principal materials’ technology –structural concrete insulated panels (M2) – make the space thermally cool, while the design allows for plenty of natural day lighting.

While the pools have all the necessary handicap equipment -ramps, railings, lifts, etc. – the design highlights the users’ spatial and sensorial associations rather than the clinical ones, which is different from the typically pragmatic nature of facilities of this kind. A subtle splash of water (that is part of the water filtration system) is the main sound present in the space.

This facility is the first of its kind in Puerto Rico.