Athletic Business Names Waukee CSD Natatorium a Facility of Merit
The Athletic Business Facilities of Merit program showcases the 10 most impressive athletics, fitness and recreation facilities for their outstanding design, functionality and community impact.
The October 2025 issue of Athletic Business highlights its annual Facilities of Merit gallery, naming the Waukee Community School District Natatorium among the top 10 facilities nationwide. In a design landscape where excess often takes center stage, this year’s honorees stood out for their intentional restraint and commitment to thoughtful, efficient design. Selected from a pool of 48 submissions, the top 10 were chosen by a panel of five architects and design specialists who evaluated entries based on functional planning, aesthetics, site integration and cost.
Designed by RDG Planning & Design, the Waukee CSD Natatorium brings together thoughtful design and high functionality to serve two high schools and the broader Waukee, Iowa, community, which is one of the fastest-growing districts in the state. Completed in 2023, the facility supports both schools’ swim and dive programs while offering community access for learn-to-swim instruction and other aquatic activities.
Judges praised the project for harmonizing potentially competing needs into a unified design solution, noting, “Elements that could have been in tension were able to find harmony.” The exterior’s aquatic-inspired metal paneling, described by the jury as a “playful gesture,” was highlighted for its ability to make the building feel welcoming and well-suited to a student environment.
Facilities of Merit winners will be recognized for their achievement during a ceremony on November 6, 2025, at the AB Show 2025 in San Diego.