Fresh Air that Flows in Aquascope
The Aquascope is an innovative aquatic centre, located near the famous Futuroscope theme park in Poitiers and one of France’s most popular leisure attractions. Designed to offer visitors a unique immersive experience, it’s unlike any other waterpark and a destination which receives thousands of visitors each year. The building, which spans 6,000 m² was designed by renowned architectural firm, Art'ur, whose aim was to seamlessly balance playful aesthetics, sustainability and indoor comfort. Central to their design was the specification of two large, glazed skylights which allow natural light and air to flood into the expansive space, ensuring a pleasant and healthy environment in which children and grown-ups can enjoy the attractions.
Visit a reference projectProducts
Project partners
ART’UR ArchitectesMaking Waves in Swimmer Comfort
Art'ur was also keen to ensure the space remained operationally efficient, consuming the minimum number of resources. This extended from the material used in the build to its fixtures, fittings and finishes. Services and utilities, particularly ventilation, would also need to be considered, contributing substantially towards operational costs. Daily occupancy of the building requires strict hygiene and air quality controls, which all aquatic centres must abide by. It was here that natural ventilation played a fundamental role towards visitors’ wellbeing and the overall enjoyment of the space. In a water-dedicated structure, where heat and humidity can quickly become major issues, efficient natural ventilation not only ensures air quality but also reduces energy costs by avoiding excessive reliance on mechanical components.
The Sky’s The Limit
The two striking skylights, which cover a large part of the Aquascope's roof, were equipped with WindowMaster’s chain actuators. Installed across more than 50% of the windows, these chain actuators enable automatic and manual opening and closing of the vents, ensuring dynamic air management. This means windows can be programmed to let in fresh air or close to contain heat, depending on user needs and weather conditions.
The advantage of this solution is that lifeguards can work the vents via a control panel (with switches), allowing them to quickly adjust ventilation as needed. However, to avoid any meteorological-related inconvenience, a weather station is also connected to the system, allowing automatic closure of the windows in case of rain or strong winds.
A lesson in Synchronised Ventilation
Aquascope is also equipped with no less than 222 additional skylights, making it a monumental task as each had to be installed to operate independently or in-tandem with others. This required a bespoke solution that included 7 WCC 320 control panels and 7 KNX modules for controlling the panels via a Fieldbus card BACnet. These solutions are specifically designed to manage daily ventilation, ensuring constant air renewal without heavy mechanical intervention. Their role is to regulate the intake of fresh air throughout the aquatic space, maintaining a pleasant climate and avoiding humidity stagnation, which is particularly crucial in an indoor pool. To guarantee this sensitive system operated smoothly, WindowMaster worked closely with EQUANS/INEO, responsible for electrical installation and wiring, delivering a solution which optimises the intake of fresh air and the evacuation of stale air.
Why Natural Ventilation is Crucial for the Aquascope
In an environment like the Aquascope, where hot and humid air can quickly accumulate, natural ventilation has directly contributed to making this a place people want to visit, and one in which they can have fun whilst feeling safe and secure. This has been achieved in a number of ways:
- Visitor comfort
Constant air renewal through natural ventilation ensures a pleasant atmosphere for swimmers. Fresh air removes excess humidity, maintaining a moderate temperature even on hot days. Additionally, continuous ventilation helps reduce the strong smell of chlorine, enhancing the overall indoor air quality for both swimmers and spectators. - Energy savings
Lowering dependence on mechanical air conditioning and ventilation systems, natural ventilation can help limit energy consumption, contributing to reducing the building's carbon footprint. - Humidity management
Indoor pools are particularly prone to rapid humidity accumulation, which can lead to condensation, mould, and other maintenance issues. Natural ventilation is known to support the evacuation of excess humidity, ensuring better building durability and savings on maintenance costs.
Aquascope has been a resounding triumph, attracting more and more visitors each year who feel confident in the centre’s ability to protect their wellbeing by providing fresh and state-of-the-art facilities.
"Aquascope highlights the crucial importance of well-designed ventilation in aquatic environments. Thanks to the solutions provided by WindowMaster, the centre benefits from an efficient, flexible, and scalable ventilation system. This project also illustrates the importance of collaboration between architects, engineers, and manufacturers to design innovative spaces where user comfort is at the heart of priorities.”
Miléne Galerneau
Technical and Commercial Lead, WindowMaster MGAir