[4][5] The 1939 and 1964 World's Fair pavilions, which previously occupied the site, inspired the architects to design the canopy roof suspended above the natatorium and rink.

[8] The Parks Department partnered with the Economic Development Corporation and plans re-commenced for New York City to build its first public indoor swimming pool in 40 years.

[12] At the time, NYC Parks indicated that the center would reopen temporarily while officials devised plans for a more permanent repair to the roof.

The building is situated between an urban environment to the north, which consist of major streets and highways, with the park on its western facade.

With entrances on both the east and west side following a radial geometry, the designer draws on the historic Fountain of the Planets exhibition.

On the western façade, another entrance opens onto a path that leads to 8 soccer fields, the Flushing Meadows Golf Center, the Industry Pond, and the Unisphere, all of which are on the westernmost part of the 1250-acre park.

Influenced by the World's Fair pavilions, the 110,000 square foot aquatic center is the largest recreation complex ever built in a New York City park.

The curved suspended roof spans over both the Olympic size swimming pool and an NHL regulation hockey rink.

A clear spanned space proved to be the solution that answered the need for minimal maintenance and avoidance of damage to structural elements.

[1] In order to support the 120-foot-by-230-foot clear spans, twelve cables were extended from each mast to specific connection points on the roof.

In order for the structure to be erected, much shoring and preliminary bracing was done to relieve the dead load from the gravity columns prior to cable installation.

The building's main facade is cloaked in a single concrete matrix of different aggregates used to form the mixture of surfaces within each section.

The curtain wall wraps around the western façade, allowing swimmers to engage with the natural environment outside, from flowering crabapple trees in spring, to vibrant maple orchards in fall.