Flushing Meadows Natatorium Olympics, but when NYC's bid was lost to London, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation proceeded to build the pool anyway. The result is an innovative building with 130-foot-high twin masts and a swooping roof form. The masts are an architectural feature extending up into the Queens skyline as well as the structural supports for the cable-stayed roof. This design provides the clear spans necessary to house an Olympic swimming pool along with an ice skating rink. The Flushing Meadows Natatorium was designed by Handel Architects in association with Kevin Hom Architects (formerly Kevin Hom +Andrew Goldman
Flushing Meadows Natatorium sides. All of the wide flange shapes and masts were fabricated form ASTM A572 Grade 50 steel, while the diagonal roof bracing were A 500 Grade B. Due to the precisely choreographed steel design, the Flushing Meadow Natatorium received the 2009 Innovative Design in Engineering and Architecture with Structural Steel award. (IDEAS). The IDEAS awards recognize outstanding achievements in engineering and architecture on structural steel projects around the country. The project was judged on structural steel innovation, with an emphasis on creative solutions to project requirements. The form was directly derived from the structural requirements of the program. Visual interventions