City Of Piedmont: Council Selects ELS As Community Pool Architect

Press release from the City of Piedmont:

10/19/2021

On Monday, October 18, 2021, the City Council unanimously selected ELS Architecture and Urban Design as the architect for the Piedmont Community Pool Project. ELS was one of eight architectural firms which submitted proposals to design the new Piedmont Community Pool.

Of the firms that submitted proposals, three (ELS, HED and WRNS) were determined to be the most highly qualified and interviewed on September 27th. The interviews were conducted by a panel of ten individuals including Mayor Teddy Gray King, Councilmember Betsy Smegal Andersen, Pool Advisory Committee Chair Steve Roland, as well as members of City staff. At the conclusion of the interviews the panel was unanimous in its selection of ELS. 

“With ELS designing our Community Pool, under the skill and leadership of Clarence Mamuyac, I am incredibly excited and look forward the design of this amazing project” said Mayor Teddy Gray King. 

Councilmember Betsy Smegal Andersen agreed, adding “I am so grateful and enthusiastic about the progress we have made and I am confident ELS is the best qualified and most experienced firm to lead this extraordinary project in the heart of our community.” 

ELS distinguished itself from the other two highly capable finalists through the depth of its team; the firm’s long history of designing civic aquatic, recreation, and community spaces; its thoughtful and robust approach to community engagement in the design process; as well its relevant experience and commitment to sustainability. 

The ELS core team will be led by the firm’s president and CEO, Clarence Mamuyac, a long-time and civically engaged resident of Piedmont. His core team is a diverse group of architects and designers, including five-time Olympic Gold Medalist Dana Vollmer-Grant. The ELS team will be joined by technical consultants who have worked together with ELS on aquatics projects over many years.

ELS has designed civic projects including the Elk Grove Aquatic Center, Balboa Park Pool, the East Oakland Sports Center, the Morgan Hill Aquatics Center, the Delores Bengston Aquatic Center for the City of Pleasanton, and the Berkeley High School Natatorium. The firm has also designed world-class competition venues for the University of California at Berkeley, Stanford University, and the University of Southern California.

This press release was produced by the City of Piedmont. The views expressed here are the author’s own.