Choosing the right roof design for waterparks

There’s no better source of information than that of experience. It’s a tangible, solid reference point for referring back to “what it was like” to see, hear, smell, taste and feel an object, place, or building. Many of our new clients come to us bearing a past experience in mind. They visited and enjoyed one of the many waterparks we’ve worked on and recall how a fully retracted roof created a lasting impression: the tactile sense of openness, sunlight and breeze within a fully controlled environment. They also describe the general structural layout of the roof they experienced and want a similar one. Their past experience is built into their expectations.

At this point in the conversation, we introduce possible waterpark designs based on those experiences and expectations, as well as our own expertise. The structure and design we recommend are contingent upon whether the waterpark isfreestanding or attached (i.e., to another building such as a hotel). The rest flows from there.

Freestanding waterparks
If the waterpark stands independently on its own, there are two typical roof types:

1. Retractable domes

2. Curved span enclosures

Attached waterparks

If the waterpark is attached to another building, we can integrate into the facility:

1. Double-slope roofs

2. Roofs with an offset ridge

There are also technical considerations. These include, but aren’t limited to, the building’s foundations, the thickness and height of the walls, the span / width of the building, whether there will be supporting columns and more.

Of course, each client recommendation we make is a custom solution based on that particular project. The test of our success boils down to the user’s experience. And that experience will trickle into their expectations for waterparks generally—whereto expect a retractable roof is to expect nothing less.