Riverdale Country School, a premier independent school serving students pre-K through 12th grade, needed a new Aquatic Center to replace its aging existing facility. The program called for a new six-lane competition pool to be located on a compact and steep slope with tight Special Natural Area District regulations on the School's Hill Campus. The new Aquatic Center is perched high atop a wooded bluff overlooking the football field. The Aquatic Center is comprised of a state-of-the art competition swimming pool, locker rooms, and spectator viewing areas. All program elements are on one level to provide a fully-accessible facility without the need for an elevator. The lobby and pool spaces incorporate tall ribbon of north-facing glass, showing the adjacent treetops and reinforcing the building's connection to the School's other athletic facilities beyond. In order to conserve space on the site and eliminate roof clutter, all outdoor mechanical equipment were located in an open space below the building.