aquatics centre; aquatics centre;

Lima Pan American and Parapan American Games: Aquatics Centre, Lima

Helping Lima 2019 deliver its Aquatics Centre in record time

As part of the UK Delivery Team (UKDT), Arup were appointed to lead the design and technical assurance of the Lima 2019 permanent infrastructure programme. This involved collaborating with Lima 2019’s in-house design team at the start of the design process to influence the planning of the venues. This collaboration continued with the design and build contractors, Cosapi and Pattern Design, responsible for constructing and developing the design of the sports venues.

Having been involved in helping to deliver a number of major aquatics venues around the world including London 2012, we collaborated with venue designers to adopt a 'whole systems approach' to accommodate Peru’s first international standard aquatics centre. Working with short time-scales, we focused on creating an efficient and affordable legacy venue utilising a combination of fabrication methods and temporary facilities for the aquatics centre.

Project Summary


2 x 50 metre pools

1 x 21 metrediving pool

70weeksfrom start to finish

Hosted in Videna, one of the largest sites for the Pan American and Parapan American Games, we reviewed the space and layout of the building and proposed ideas to ensure the facility was built on time without compromising on the quality.

Ideas included reducing the overall size of the permanent building and the number of permanent seats and introducing temporary seating as an alternative. This resulted in simpler and more cost-efficient construction, to facilitate a sustainable legacy after the Games complete.

To help understand the complex level issues of the site, venue requirements and crowd flows, Arup created a 3D study model which identified ways to improve spectator and athletes’ accessibility. This exercise helped the design and build contractors inherit a more resolved design.

By supporting the contractor team’s proposal to use a prefabricated stainless-steel pool in lieu of an in situ concrete pool, typically used in Peru, the construction and installation time was greatly reduced, enabling the venue to be completed according to programme.

The completion of the first Olympic-size swimming pool has been recognised as a major milestone in the Peruvian capital.


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Through strong collaboration with all parties involved, the aquatics centre has been delivered in record time with appropriate size and capacity to facilitate a sustainable legacy after the Games.

Jamie Pendle Senior Engineer, Arup
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