Whether it’s an innovative, multi-purpose aquatic facility, elevated specialty pool, exotic resort pool or unique water feature, Natare provides cutting-edge construction and design systems for projects that would otherwise be considered too expensive or cumbersome to tackle. Such is its reputation that Natare has been featured by the likes of the Wall Street Journal, National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, in addition to multiple aquatics industry trade journals and publications.
We were delighted to sit down with Joshua Albertson, Sales Manager at Natare, to learn more about what makes the company stand out in a market flooded with talented competitors. “Customers are drawn to us for two reasons. First, our experience. We’ve been in the business of commercial aquatic systems for over 50 years. There isn’t a scenario we haven’t successfully navigated or a solution we’ve not created. We’ve seen it all and overcome it. And second, we’re a totally custom shop. What I mean is we’re not afraid to take on a project or a problem outside of our comfort zone. Our industry knowledge gives us the tools to lead.”
Albertson’s comments are supported by Natare’s versatile portfolio. At the Marriott Marquis Houston, for instance, Natare constructed a spa as well as an infinity-edge rooftop swimming pool. But what’s most eye-catching is the massive Texas-shaped lazy river. Swimmers who approach the western tip of the Texas map (where El Paso is located) will float by a clear, acrylic wall overlooking the roof’s edge before water jets shoot them southeast along the path of the Rio Grande. The lazy river is emblematic of Natare’s talents for bringing to life the most creative of designs. Moreover, and as a testament of their global reach and reputation, Natare was commissioned in Christchurch, New Zealand, to construct a recreation center previously destroyed by the region’s 2011 earthquake. The challenge was to find a pool construction solution that could withstand future seismic activity while maintaining structural integrity and performance. In collaboration with Apollo Projects, Natare implemented a steel pool construction system which provides flexibility, durability, and adaptability in unstable ground systems. The technology of the pool’s stainless-steel walls allows the pool to be releveled in the event of future earthquakes.
Bringing Aquatics Projects to Life on College Campuses
Natare’s expansive reach extends to higher education, providing campuses with stunning aquatic facilities ranging from high-performance natatoriums for swim teams to versatile pools for physical education and wellness programs. Additionally, Natare has improved campuses with stainless steel pools, therapy spas, filtration systems, PVC pool linings, movable bulkheads, and perimeter gutters, all of which are designed to meet the unique needs of schools, colleges, and universities.
I asked Albertson about Natare’s reputation within the ecosystem of higher education, how it was built and why it’s as strong as ever. While he emphasized the long-term value, safety, and efficiency of its systems, I was most compelled by the glimpse he offered into how Natare’s company culture serves as a driving force of excellence with each project: “We like to describe ourselves as a big-small company. Every customer, client and project is so important to us because we depend on the next one.” Natare’s culture, to put it simply, is one which refuses complacency on principle. Theirs is an ethics of humility and self-determination: “We must make sure to execute at the highest level to ensure we’re asked to participate in the next great project. Customer service is our driving force.”
Natare’s aquatics systems are found on college campuses all over the world. On its surface, the collaborative process appears relatively straightforward: “Generally, it starts with architecture firms, aquatic consultants, and/or college leadership providing an understanding of the vision of the project. In some cases, we help directly. In others, we join a construction team where each member knows their role.” But it is one thing to make plans and something else entirely to bring them to life. Albertson explains, “As cliché as it sounds, communication is so important. The more both sides can communicate clearly, the better off each will be. Project goals, scope, dates—they’re all vital. The same goes for the scheduling of fabrication, installation, and repair. There’s no margin for error, and the chances of a successful project go way up if [we] all understand each other.”
Natare’s Extensive Experience on College Campuses
Albertson is alert to Natare’s role in both anticipating and shaping the needs and wants of students, faculty, and staff on college campuses. He rightly notes how much the industry has changed: “In the past, college and university pools were boring rectangular shapes simply used by swim teams for practice and competition. But over the past decade or so, we’ve seen more elaborate designs used for more recreational fun. They’re now a great means of attracting prospective students. Think of a more waterpark feel with bells and whistles versus a traditional shape satisfying only a single purpose.”
One such example of Natare’s expertise in modernizing facilities is at Princeton University’s DeNunzio Pool. The stakes were high, not least of all because DeNunzio Pool was designed with technology that made it among the fastest pools in the nation. Since its initial construction in 1990, it has been home to the Princeton Swimming & Diving teams and has hosted multiple Ivy League Championships and EISL Championships, the 2009 NCAA Water Polo Championships, the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games. It has even served as a training home for Olympic gold medalists. Natare was tasked with updating the original bulkheads (also manufactured by Natare), and now the customizable fixed, horizontal, and vertical moving bulkhead systems have refashioned DeNunzio Pool into a hub for cutting-edge aquatics experiences.
Natare took on a far more complicated endeavor at the University of Florida’s O’Connell Center, whose facilities were held back by old, obsolete bulkheads. What resulted was a vibrant transformation that defied the odds. Natare typically builds, transports, and installs movable bulkheads in one piece. But gaining access to the O’Connell Center was severely limited. The roof at the facility is air-supported and a revolving door was the only means of access. The challenge was to install the moving bulkheads without compromising the air pressure that supported the roof of the massive complex. The project timetable presented yet another obstacle, as the University needed the facility to operate as seamlessly as possible for daily operations. Accessibility was addressed by removing the existing doors and constructing a temporary airlock through which the new bulkheads and appropriate equipment could move. The new bulkheads were then lifted with a crane and placed into position to be inserted into the building through the airlock. Fork trucks, floating dollies, and rigging equipment were used to move the bulkheads from the staging area through the airlock and onto the natatorium deck where they were re-assembled, cleaned and adjusted, then placed into the pool. Finally, the two 65-foot moving bulkheads were furnished with certified slip-resistant grating, starting platforms and anchors, guard rails and targets, and bulkhead anchorage systems. Not only did Natare find creative solutions at every step, but the O’Connell Center project was completed ahead of schedule.
Natare’s Most Recent Project Achievements
Located in the suburbs of Los Angeles, Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center is an essential hub for the junior college and the surrounding community. As the area continued to grow, the need for a larger aquatics facility became apparent. The biggest priority was that it had to be flexible enough to accommodate additional programming and host national and international competitions for the college’s award-winning swimming, diving, and water polo teams. Designed to replace the original aquatic facility, the new Aquatic Center now comprises a 59m competitor pool (all deep) and 30m teaching/diving pool (shallow to deep), both of which feature Natare hybrid moving bulkheads. It also holds seating for 2,500 spectators. Since the facility opened in 2022, it has received honors for its superior and innovative design.
In 2014, the City of Globe Community Swimming Pool (located in Globe, Arizona) was forced to shut down due to continuous water loss and mechanical components that were no longer functional. It sat empty for nearly 10 years. Natare was chosen to provide components that would not only extend the life of the pool by years but would also save time and money on annual maintenance, thereby creating funds for additional aquatics programs. Natare incorporated three of its top products—utilizing the “Natare Trifecta”—and in this case, also adding a pool bulkhead. The Trifecta included the implementation of a stainless-steel perimeter pool gutter system, a vacuum sand filtration system, and a PVC membrane. The Stainless-Steel Perimeter Pool Gutter System replaced the original concrete gutters and failed piping. Natare’s Vacuum Sand Filtration System eliminated the need for constant maintenance while creating crystal clear water, and the PVC membrane reinforced the pool basin with an extremely strong inner core of custom cut polyester mesh fabric. No longer would maintenance have to worry about re-plastering or fixing chipped paint again. The same membrane was installed in the City’s new splash pad, which provided kids with a much softer and slip-resistant surface to play on. With the expertise and reliable leadership of Natare, the City of Globe Community Swimming Pool has now doubled in size and is equipped with new amenities.
With each passing year, Natare continues to build on its vast expertise while exceeding expectations in aquatics facilities around the world.
