In New Westminster, British Columbia, a new aquatic center by hcma architecture + design has redefined notions of progressive design. Known as the təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Center, the building was planned in close collaboration with First Nations communities while also targeting ambitious sustainability goals. Through a tightly insulated envelope of standing-seam metal, intentionally-oriented glazing, and precast concrete, the structure is the first completed aquatic center to achieve the Canadian Green Building Council’s (CAGBC) Zero-Carbon Building-Design-Standard, an impressive feat given the typology’s abnormally high energy demands.
