Massive Skylights for Phase II of Kalahari Resorts’ Record Breaking Pocono Mountains Waterpark
Kalahari’s expansion in Pocono Mountains, PA increases the park’s size to 200,000 sq. ft.
Kalahari Resorts and Conventions has again chosen to work with OpenAire after the overwhelming success of Phase I of its new waterpark and convention center in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, which drew thousands of guests upon opening last year. Kalahari has now begun construction on Phase II, adding another 100,000 square feet to the waterpark’s original 100,000 square feet, which opened in 2015. With a total of 200,000 square feet under one roof, the resort will claim the prize for the largest indoor waterpark in the United States, overtaking its sister waterpark and current record holder, Kalahari – Sandusky, Ohio, which covers 173,000 square feet. In addition to the waterpark expansion, Phase II will add many more hotel rooms to the resort, bringing the total accommodations to 1,000 guest suites, a 40,000 square-foot arcade, three full-service restaurants and much more. OpenAire worked closely with Architectural Design Consultants, Inc. (ADCI) and Kramer Brothers Construction to create a seamless blend of conventional structures and OpenAire’s lightweight aluminum-framed enclosures and skylights.
Just like in Phase I, OpenAire’s design floods the new waterpark expansion with natural light, featuring a soaring glazed roof enclosure measuring 134’ x 50’ with a 34’ high glass front wall and a huge 134’ wide glass sidewall rising from a height of 34’ to 51’, as well as an incredibly large polycarbonate glazed single-slope roof measuring 134’ x 53’ feet; three sloping clearstory windows measuring 136’ x 6’-8” high and two large pyramid skylights measuring 50’ x 50’. Over the slide tower is a ridge skylight measuring 30’ x 40’, which features two 10’ wide retracting roof panels to vent the moist aquatic atmosphere, while also letting in the sunlight and warm winds of summer and closing securely in cold or inclement weather. With OpenAire’s contribution, the result of the expansion will be an amazingly large African-themed waterpark, bathed in unobstructed sunlight in any weather or season, giving guests an experience they won’t forget.
“It’s an incredible project, and a great opportunity to combine OpenAire’s strengths with other partners,” says OpenAire’s President and CEO, Mark Albertine, “The scale of this design and the amount of natural light it provides will be something that Kalahari’s guests will really enjoy. Because the resort is located in the Pocono Mountains, the huge glass walls not only provide natural light but maintain the beautiful views of the surrounding mountain range.”
When finished, the newly-expanded Kalahari Resort Pocono Mountains will cover 150 acres, and with 200,000 square feet under one roof, it will become the largest indoor waterpark in the US. With OpenAire providing over 41,000 square feet of glazed area, the park will truly have an outdoor atmosphere. Working closely with ADCI and Kramer Brothers, OpenAire is creating a vibrant, dynamic environment that is as big and bold as the Kalahari itself. It is a winning solution for this African-themed resort that is sure to draw crowds for years to come. OpenAire is proud to add its signature to another amazing project.