Initial details have been revealed for the nation’s deepest diving pool at an undisclosed location in Lake County. Located around 35-40 miles north of The Loop in the nearby suburbs, the multi-pool facility recently began fundraising as design work continues. The team at nonprofit Diveheart is behind the development with local architecture firm Barker Barrios working on the design.
Rendering of Diveheart facility by Barker Barrios Architects
Diveheart focuses on building confidence, independence, and self-esteem in the lives of children, adults, and veterans with disabilities through scuba diving, scuba therapy, and related activities. The organization utilizes various forms of aqua therapy that utilize different pressures and the zero gravity achieved in the pools to help heal and treat individuals. Serving people with a variety of disabilities including developmental, vision, and brain injuries.
Rendering of Diveheart facility by Barker Barrios Architects
Rendering of Diveheart facility by Barker Barrios Architects
The large two-story design will utilize broad sweeping curves on its Y-shaped structure. These will be clad in floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the indoor pools and gardens outsides. At the center of the facility will be a 130-foot deep telescopic diving pool, the deepest in the nation and the deepest in the world to offer adaptive scuba and scuba therapy. It will have a depth of nearly 10 stories, but will be fully heated for year-round use.
Section and geothermal energy of Diveheart facility by Barker Barrios Architects
Section of Diveheart facility by Barker Barrios Architects
The designers are exploring different options for deep caissons for the pool, and to create a carbon neutral facility they will utilize a mix of solar and geothermal energy for heating the water. Joining the deep-dive pool will be a starter-type pool for both kids and to prepare people to use the deep pool. The third pool will be Olympic-sized and 20-feet-deep, with a walk-through tunnel similar to aquariums, used for training and therapy.
Rendering of Diveheart facility by Barker Barrios Architects
Rendering of Diveheart facility by Barker Barrios Architects
Additional support spaces like restrooms, lockers, and dressing rooms will also be available. Diveheart has secured the two necessary patents, completed preliminary facility design, and completed feasibility assessments. They will now need to collect $300 million in order to construct the center, which will take at least two years once it begins though no timeline was announced.
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Woooooww!! Build it please!!
That’s so cool that it’s hot
This is really cool but I feel like collecting a cool $300 million for this project isn’t going to be as attainable as they might think. I’m no expert in non-profit fundraising but I’m guessing there aren’t many examples of a smaller organization promoting a fairly “niche” activity (i.e., there’s no major deep-pocketed professional diving league to fill coffers) that have gotten that level of funding within a 2+ year time frame.
Dubai’s facility has non-stop activity. But they also designed theirs around a tourism base too.
Curious if there’s enough clientele that would just like a deep pool as opposed to an underwater playground.
I wonder if they plan on using a fee-for-service model to subsidize the charitable work. There may be enough market demand to make that work.
Funny the second to last picture clearly has the Lovell VA facility in the background, including the Dewey House