For many years, the City of Bellevue has been looking to develop a new world class aquatic center to broaden aquatics accessibility, equity, and opportunity within the region.  

ARC has worked with the city at each stage of the process, including the 2009 Aquatics Programming Study, the 2019 Aquatics Programming and Site Selection Study, and most recently, with Walker Macy Landscape Architects, on the re-envisioning of the Bellevue Airfield Park Masterplan to include a new aquatics center from 2023 to 2024. The new center will provide a wide range of aquatic opportunities from competitive swimming and diving to aquatic recreation, swimming lessons to water safety skills, medical rehabilitation to therapeutic recovery, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles. One primary program element is the 50-meter competition pool and diving tower with spectator seating. Along with a 10-lane practice / warm-up pool, the competition and training options will be greatly increased in the region, which will relieve the pressure on small local pools that do not adequately meet the needs of the regional swimming community. 

In October 2021, Bellevue City Council voted to support the aquatic center masterplan at Airfield Park and to move forward with a formal study and environmental review.  Through collaboration with Walker Macy and the City of Bellevue, and based on robust public input, ARC Architects has created a preliminary concept plan for the new facility which locates the new center in the park and connects it to reimagined site amenities, parking, and nature and views beyond.