New Clark City Aquatic Center Explained

New Clark City Aquatic Center
Location:New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac, Philippines
Broke Ground:2019
Built:August 2019
Owner:Bases Conversion and Development Authority
Architect:Budji + Royal Architecture + Design
Main Contractors:MTD Philippines
Capacity:2,000 total1,920 (Grandstand)
80(VIP)
Acreage:12796sqm

New Clark City Aquatic Center is a swimming and diving venue at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, Philippines. It is one of the venues of the New Clark City Sports Hub, which is part of the National Government Administrative Center. It hosted the aquatics events of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games and is set to host the 2023 Asian Swimming Championships.

History

The construction of the whole New Clark City Sports Hub, which also includes the Aquatics Center, began on April 25, 2018 with a cement-pouring ceremony.[1] Construction of the facility costed around .[2] By early July 2019, the aquatics center is already 85 percent complete.[3] The venue is completed by August 2019 in time with the Philippine Swimming National Open as the first event hosted in the venue.[4]

Architecture

The Bases Conversion Development Authority commissioned local architecture firm, Budji + Royal Architecture + Design to work on the New Clark City Sports Hub.[5] The Aquatics Center covers an area of 12796sqm on a 21936sqm plot of land.[6]

The Aquatics Center's design was derived from the baklad a local fish trap, and the Filipino weaving and woodwork[6] and exhibits a bamboo color theme.[7] The design consist of a huge open shed with a prismatic roof similar to a parol made of capiz coating.[5] The roofing will be made from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a fiberglass material used for its lightweight property, durability, and weather resistance. The architects intends to cover the facility but still let natural light into its interior. At daytime, the architects intended the roof to resemble capiz windows used by old Philippine houses and at night the roof will be illuminated to resemble a lit parol.[8]

Facilities

Pools and equipment

The Aquatics Center has a two-level bleachers with a seating capacity of 2,000. Above the bleachers is a furnished and air-conditioned VIP lounge.[9]

It hosts three swimming pools, an Olympic pool, a training pool,[10] and a diving pool. All pools have hot-steel siding and PVC linings installed. The aquatics venue also has an underwater sound system. Besides the bleachers on the ground floor. is a dryland training area[9]

The main facility is the competition pool which has a dimension of NaNm (-2,147,483,648feet) meters and has a depth of 3m (10feet). Each of the pool's ten lanes are equipped with lap-timers in lieu of flip charts used traditionally in other aquatics venues. Adjacent to the competition pool is the diving pool has a dimension of NaNm (-2,147,483,648feet) and a depth of 5m (16feet). The diving pool is equipped with five diving platforms. Behind the diving pool is the 2m (07feet) deep 8-lane training pool.[9]

Adjacent to the bleachers is a dryland training area which hosts a foam diving area, trampolines, and stretch equipment for athletes.[9]

The pools at the facility is accredited by the World Aquatics, an international sport governing body for water sports.[11]

PoolLanesDimensionDepth
Competition pool 10 NaNm (-2,147,483,648feet) 3m (10feet)
Training pool 8 ? 2m (07feet)
Diving pool NaNm (-2,147,483,648feet) 5m (16feet)

Other

The facility's entrance is connected to the main road by a vehicle ramp while pedestrians including persons with disabilities can access the stadium through its side entry points.[12] The lower ground floor hosts parking spaces for 26 cars and ten buses.[6]

Use

The aquatics center can be used for swimming and other water sports. The training pool while intended as a practice venue for athletes participating in international tournaments could also be used to hold local competitions.[12] The Philippine Swimming National Open was held from August 31 to September 3, 2019 as the first event.[13] The facility hosted the aquatics events, including water polo, as part of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.[14] and it is also set to host the 11th Asian Age Group Championships from February 26 to March, 9 2024.[15]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Saldajeno. Ivan. BCDA begins pouring cement on New Clark City athletic field. 25 April 2018. Dugout Philippines. 25 April 2018.
  2. Web site: Torres . Judith . Mata . Denny . BCDA Pres tackles USD 5 billion New Clark City, white elephants . BluPrint . 31 August 2019 . 13 August 2019.
  3. News: PH players may use athletes’ village starting August . 5 July 2019 . ABS-CBN News . 5 July 2019.
  4. News: Matel . Philip . Brand-new Athletics Stadium hosts national swimming championships . 31 August 2019 . ESPN . 31 August 2019.
  5. News: Enriquez. Marge. Design duo tapped to build ‘city of the future'. 9 March 2018. Philippine Daily Inquirer. 3 January 2018.
  6. News: Torres . Judith . Mata . Denny . We visited New Clark City’s Aquatic Center 94 days before turnover—here’s how it looked . 16 August 2019 . BluPrint . 11 July 2019.
  7. News: Enriquez . Marge . In Pampanga, a rising sports complex references local icons . 31 August 2019 . Philippine Daily Inquirer . 28 August 2019.
  8. News: Remo. Amy. Rise of the new city. 10 May 2018. Philippine Daily Inquirer. 17 February 2018.
  9. Web site: de la Cruz . Gabrielle . Making a Splash: Aquatics Center is competition-ready for the upcoming SEA Games . BluPrint . 9 November 2019 . 30 October 2019.
  10. News: Luz Lopez . Melissa . Clark stadium, pools for SEA Games completed by August . 15 June 2019 . CNN Philippines . 14 June 2019 . 15 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230715012915/http://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2019/6/14/Clark-stadium,-pools-for-SEA-Games-completed-by-August-.html . dead .
  11. Web site: Lozada . Bong . New Clark City Aquatics Center pool gets Fina accreditation ahead of SEA Games . Inquirer.net . . 20 December 2019 . 1 September 2019.
  12. News: Mata . Denny . 33 days before turnover: Aquatic Center 90% complete . 16 August 2019 . BluPrint . 31 July 2019.
  13. News: Pinoy swimmers get first crack at Clark aquatics center . 16 August 2019 . Manila Bulletin . 16 August 2019.
  14. News: PH water polo team hopes to end 10-year drought in SEA Games . 16 August 2019 . Tempo . 12 August 2019.
  15. News: Philippine aquatics community welcomes Malacañang backing of Asian Age Group tilt . 22 January 2024 . The Philippine Star . 22 January 2024.