DEEPWATER POOL NIKOLA VAPTSAROV
NAVAL ACADEMY

The facility is located in Primorski district in Varna, Municipality of Varna. The property faces four streets that border its southeastern, southern, southwestern, and northeastern boundaries. The plot covers an area of 91,063 sq.m., according to Varna’s cadastral map, and contains various existing buildings and facilities. The investment project includes the construction of a deep-water pool for educational and training purposes for the Naval Academy, located on the Academy’s premises at 73 Vasil Drumev St., Varna, Municipality of Varna.

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The facility is a deep-water pool measuring 12.50 by 25.00 meters, with a depth varying from 3 to 5 meters. This training facility is equipped with state-of-the-art systems that recreate authentic open-sea environments and real-life situations. The pool features a wave generator that mimics rough sea conditions, artificial smoke to simulate fog and fire, sprinkler systems for creating rain, high-frequency projectors to mimic the visual effects of a thunderstorm, active blackout features to simulate night settings, and an acoustic system to replicate real soundscapes, among other complementary systems. In addition to the active 5D visual systems, the training facility includes a helicopter simulator cabin that replicates the scenario of a helicopter crash. The cabin can levitate above the water surface, as well as actively submerge and rotate 360 degrees, allowing for the creation of fully realistic scenarios and eliminating the possibility of routine training exercises, as trainees do not know the position or challenges they will face in advance. The training area also has a 7.5-meter-high diving tower and other specialized systems to support year-round training for Navy and Air Force personnel, as well as diving courses.

The primary functions of the deep-water pool at the Naval Academy are to conduct a wide range of sea rescue operations and to train divers from the Navy and special forces of the Bulgarian Army. The deep-water pool was built to meet international standards for sea survival training, including for helicopter crew and passengers. The building includes adjacent classrooms for theoretical preparation.

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The built-up area (BA) is 1,284.12 sq.m., and the gross floor area (GFA) is 3,744.40 sq.m. The building’s spatial design reflects the client's intention to create a modern, functional, and sustainable facility. It includes several specific requirements related to its positioning, connection with the existing Training and Sports Complex building, lighting, the possibility of complete blackout in the main hall, pool depth, and more. The building’s design combines reinforced concrete and steel structures. Two underground levels are planned, containing technical floors with essential installations and equipment for the facility’s operation. The upper part is a metal-space structure creating a large, open space.

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From a construction standpoint, the building poses a significant challenge, especially due to the complexity of its longitudinal facades and their inclination. The continuous interplay between solid and glass surfaces, combined with a 7-degree incline relative to the vertical plane, presents a real challenge in ensuring the building envelope's durability and waterproof and airtight properties. The continuous teamwork, high professionalism, and dedication of the entire construction and design team (architects, structural engineers, facade engineers, etc.) have resulted in an impressive final product in terms of quality, detail and design.

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