2023 Make a SPLASH! Grant Contest Inclusive Design Winner: Morgan's Inspiration Island

In 2023, we hosted our fourth annual Make a SPLASH! Grant Contest to award two deserving organizations in the United States an all-expenses-paid splash pad surface. One award was for a facility that exemplified inclusive design principles, and the other was need-based for a deserving community that met specific benchmark criteria.

We received some incredible applications and out of many impactful entries, one rose to the front. Today, we’re proud to showcase the Inclusive Design Award winner’s installation: Morgan’s Wonderland for Will’s Hang 10 Harbor located at Morgan’s Inspiration Island in San Antonio, Texas.

What stood out most to our team was the thoughtful and holistic approach to inclusivity. Their Ultra-Accessible™ waterpark considers all abilities so that entire families can play and be together for the whole experience from start to finish.

“Morgan’s Wonderland is a magical place for those with special needs and disabilities and those without to come together in environments that promote Ultra-Accessibility™ and inclusion. It became the world’s first Ultra-Accessible™, fully-inclusive theme park in 2010. Our entirely wheelchair-accessible park features more than 25 elements, including rides, playgrounds, and other attractions. Among the most popular are our colorful carousel, the Whirling Wonder Ferris Wheel, the Sensory Village of storefronts encouraging imaginative play, the Wonderland Express train that travels for almost a mile around our 8-acres, catch-and-release fishing lake, and playscapes with multiple types of swings, including out exceedingly popular wheelchair swings. While we recognize the exceptional qualities of these one-of-a-kind features, it is the outcome of priceless memories and a feeling of belonging that we are most proud of. Families of individuals with special needs interviewed during the creation of Morgan’s Wonderland Park shared that not only would a park be fun and exciting, but most importantly, they wanted a space to enjoy TOGETHER.

The tremendous success of nonprofit Morgan’s Wonderland led to the addition of Ultra-Accessible™ Morgan’s Inspiration Island splash park in 2017. Morgan’s Inspiration Island at Morgan’s Wonderland is the one and only Ultra-Accessible™ Splash Park located in San Antonio, Texas. In keeping with Morgan’s Wonderland’s mission of inclusion and the desire to enable everyone to play, Morgan’s Inspiration Island is like a tropical paradise with five colorful splash pads, a River Boat Adventure Ride, and revolutionary waterproof wheelchairs. Morgan’s Wonderland and Morgan’s Inspiration Island Splash Park has welcomed over 2 million guests form 122 countries. Today, Morgan’s Inspiration Island splash park continues to welcome the most guests compared to the rest of the season.””

— Brooke Kearney, Special Project Officer, Morgan's Wonderland

When asked what winning this grant would mean to their facility, Brooke Kearney who serves as the Special Project Officer at Morgan’s Wonderland said,

“Winning this grant would maintain our mission to provide a fun, clean, and beautiful environment free of physical and economic barriers that all individuals can come to an enjoy regardless of age or ability. Unfortunately, countless children and adults with special needs do not have access to facilities that enable them to enjoy outdoor recreation fully. Nonprofit Morgan’s Wonderland is changing that everyday. Since its inception in 2010, anyone with a special need has been admitted free of charge, no questions asked. Hence, the majority of funding support received from the community underwrites the cost to admit our target population of individuals with special needs and disabilities for free, leaving limited funding to support major capital improvement projects. By winning this grant, Life Floor will contribute to impacting over 100,000 individuals annually through inclusive and Ultra-Accessible™ play.”

— Brooke Kearney, Special Project Officer, Morgan's Wonderland

Our 2023 entrants chose from 6 pre-designed themes that would be tailored to fit their project scope, but we were so moved by this story that we decided to do something more. Our Design Studio created a themed beach motif with a custom Murals element, life-sized custom surfboard Inlays, and other standard Inlays from our Marine set to complement the narrative at the splash pad.

Designed and Copyrighted by Life Floor Studio.

Before: Pour-in-Place Bonded Rubber

After: Life Floor

We can’t wait to hear the stories of how this project will continue to uplift the ways people with all abilities play at Will’s Hang 10 Harbor in San Antonio, Texas. Thank you to Morgan’s Wonderland for entering our contest and for trusting us to surface your Ultra-Accessible™ splash pad!

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About the Make a SPLASH! Grant Contest

The Make a SPLASH! Grant Contest is one of our team’s favorite annual events. We love giving back to our communities across the United States and seeing the difference our surfaces make. Through this grant contest, our goal is to uplift communities across the country each year with beautiful and accessible splash pad surfaces that enhance positive memories for years to come.

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THE 5TH ANNUAL MAKE A SPLASH! GRANT CONTEST IS
OPEN FOR ENTRIES

Don’t miss these two opportunities to win free Life Floor surfacing for your splash pad!

Experience at Every Scale with Jesse Muller of Perry-Becker Design

We’re excited to share an interview with Jesse Muller, ASLA, AZA, TEA of Perry-Becker Design where we talked about what storytelling means to him. Jesse currently serves as the firm’s Marketing Manager/Design Associate and has been on the team for the last 9 years. He has worked on a variety of projects from Toy Story Land at Walt Disney World Resort to the Mai-Kai Polynesian Restaurant (reopening Fall 2024).

Tell us about one of your favorite stories. It could be fiction, non-fiction, or any story. 

“Davy Crockett was, for me, a character that I latched onto right away when I was young because of the time period that he lived in, figuring his way out in the frontier, living off of the land, and I've always been a very passionate kid about nature and the environment. 

If you give me a choice between a million-dollar suite in the city, watching a sports game, or just being in the forest listening to a creek going by, I'll choose the creek every time because there's something that's special about just being in nature and having that deep connection with it.”

Was there a specific story or adventure that stands out? 

“The time period before he became governor and became involved in politics and was more of the Frontiersman living in the wilderness and helping out his neighbors and just kind of doing his own thing in his own way, has always been a really cool, fun memory for me. 

I had the (faux) raccoon skin cap, the moccasins, leather-fringe jacket, the toy rifle from Disneyland (when they used to sell toy guns). I wanted to be Davy Crockett. Everyone wanted to be Davy Crockett. I still today sometimes want to be him, but an equally impactful story that stands out, is the one in which we use landscape architecture in the themed entertainment industry, to create environments for people to go into and feel like THEY are Davy Crockett.”

Polynesian Resort water feature, photo provided by Jesse Muller

What would you consider to be the greatest success in a themed space? What would make a themed space successful, in your opinion, with storytelling?

“If we're strictly talking about themed experiences and thematic design, it’s giving people the chance to suspend their beliefs, venture into another galaxy or another world, be immersed in that experience, follow along with the characters that they love, feel like they're part of a story, and then come back and appreciate all the exciting things that they got to do that day. We sometimes get to go and visit the parks and see people's reactions when a new attraction opens. 

For me, it’s sitting on a bench watching families excitedly run by. Most of the work that we do is in the background. If you think about landscape architecture, it's the paving that you're walking on, it's the curbs, it's the railing that you're holding on to when you're going up the stairs, it's all the plants everywhere around you. It's the way that when it rains, it drains to a drain, it doesn't flood. All of those things are so ancillary that they’re not really the focus of someone's attention. If they're having fun at an attraction or if they're having fun in a space, part of the reason is because of the work that we've done, and the environment they're stepping into.”

ZooTampa Stingray Shores - Stairs into Pool, photo provided by Jesse Muller

Disney's Animal Kingdom Kangaroo Barrier, photo provided by Jesse Muller

“I would give a second example of a zoological related scenario where, if you design a habitat correctly and successfully, you're giving guests the ability to make an impactful connection with wildlife that leads them towards feeling this sense of stewardship, with belonging and responsibility to protect wildlife. What a lot of zoos are trying to do with all their new exhibits they're developing is create immersive experiences that are not only beautiful and fun to engage with and be surrounded by, but also something that gives you a feeling of connection and encourages citizen science. Then, when these guests go home, they're able to then still connect with what they saw that day, look up virtual cams or be part of an online game or whatever it is, there are ways they can participate then act towards conservation - that's a huge success for us. 

Another person that we admire from a storytelling perspective is Steve Irwin. The stories that he told when he was filming documentaries, and the passion in his voice when he explained things or he saw something scurry by and he’d go run after it. It didn’t matter how many times he got bit, he got people to feel the same way that he did about what he saw through storytelling.”

“The most impactful stories for me are stories that make you think differently. ”

— Jesse Muller

Toy Story Land, photo provided by Jesse Muller

Toy Story Land, photo provided by Jesse Muller

Shade at Toy Story Land Queue, photo provided by Jesse Muller

Can you talk about a project that's centered around a strong story and what made that story come to life? 

“A recent project we worked on was Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios. The story there is that you're in Andy's backyard, and all the toys are life size - so they're huge, and you’re the size of an ant, and you're walking through all these places. And the design team figured out how to design benches that are made up of popsicle sticks or dominoes. Or shade structures that are things that Andy would have found around the house that he just stuck in the ground in the yard to play and become one with his own imagination. The story was reinforced by all of the props that are being developed by Disney and put out into that space. We were able to help navigate how the guests are moving through that space and where they're looking first and where they're looking second, and controlling those views so it doesn't feel overwhelming.

You can't just put up a pergola or a trellis and call it a day. You have to make it feel like it fits into the rest of the space. For shade, gameboards were used to make it look like Andy had constructed something for his toy set, and he just kind of put it in the backyard. It's now actually doubling as shade structures for the guests, so they're not always in the sun. We had to go through the process of using real reference imagery from the movies, references from actual toys that got developed (yes we played with blocks at work), and look at how we can manipulate these things so they fit in the story. It can’t detract from what's already there. Like the sign that says restrooms is made out of toy blocks. Each letter is kind of askew and placed on top of the building to let you know this is where the restrooms are. It's not just going to say ‘restrooms’' - it's going to do it in a fun way. 

Those are the details that we fixate on, that we try to include in everything that we do, even when it's a resort  or a multi-family project or if it's a pool amenity for a housing complex, we're thinking on the same level of detail like that. Like which way do the pavers run so that when you drive over them, when you come home, you feel a difference in the drive, the bumpiness of the drive, and it lets you know that you've arrived at home. Not everybody picks up on that, but the people that do pick up on it appreciate that, and then they can tell that story to someone else and maybe open up their eyes to something that they didn't notice before.”

Mai-Kai Polynesian Restaurant, Site Plan Rendering provided by Jesse Muller

“We're working on a project right now down in Fort Lauderdale, the Mai-Kai Polynesian Restaurant, which is a very historic restaurant down there. When you enter that site, you used to drive over these wood timbers that would rumble, they would rattle a little bit because they weren't fully attached to the ground. So, the feeling of rumbling underneath your car not only gave the driver an experience, but the people just adjacent to the road inside the bar could hear the rumbling. It kind of sounds like thunder. And then on the windows, there's this water effect where it looks like rain, so they're having an experience of this thunderstorm. You're having experience of driving over something that puts you in a place and sets the tone for what you're about to experience. Those kinds of details are what we try to incorporate into all stories that we tell through landscape architecture in any way that we can. From shade structures to a different type of paving - whatever it is - that's the kind of mentality that we're always trying to include in all of our projects.”

What was a clever detail or surprise that your team put together for a project?

“Another thing I'm passionate about is Polynesian culture. If you want to talk about storytelling, go to the Polynesian islands, because everything they do is based on storytelling.”

Polynesian symbols used at Mai-Kai Polynesian Restaurant, provided by Jesse Muller

“For example, the Mai-Kai restaurant I just mentioned down in Fort Lauderdale. On the paving outside the main entrance, we are going to feature these three symbols. These Polynesian symbols are going to be sandblasted into the concrete so they're not right in your face. They're a secondary focal point. Those three symbols represent different aspects of the storytelling process for the Polynesian cultures.”

“One of them is Moana, the word represents ocean. That symbol represents harmony with nature. And there's Koru, which is a spiral, which represents regrowth and rebirth and rejuvenation. And then there's the fishhook, which is Hei Matau, which represents safe passage usually over water, but it's safe passage regardless of where you're going. Those three symbols connect with the project as people are walking up to the building, so it's encouraging people to safely travel from where they were to where they're going. 

This was a dilapidated building that closed in 2020 because the roof caved in. It's from the 1950s so it's old and falling apart, but this project is bringing it back to life of what it used to be. When I presented those three things at a Tiki convention last year, everybody went crazy because they were picking up on those subtleties that we included, and we did that intentionally, because we want the details to speak to the story, but not in an in-your-face kind of a way. To be honest with you, finding those symbols, realizing how they connect to the project, putting them in the ground so people can walk over them and see them and appreciate them was one of the best parts of that project.”

How do you think about surfacing in terms of incorporating the story into the surface?

The floor of a tropical rainforest is usually made up of decomposed natural earth and rotted wood; natural materials decomposing and breaking down. The World Famous San Diego Zoo demonstrates this exceptionally well when you're viewing the Orangutans and suddenly you walk onto this softer, spongy material you can feel under your feet. It feels great when you’ve walking around all day and you have a little break to rest. It puts you in that story that “I’m actually walking through a forest and I can feel it”. It's not always about what you're seeing, but it's what you're hearing, it's what you're smelling, and it's what you're feeling with your hands and your feet. Engaging the senses more into the materials that we're touching every day, I think would be a really good way to enhance storytelling in ways that it hasn't really been in the past. 

You don't need guests to specifically identify, ‘hey, I feel better now because of A, B and C.’ Just to have them think, “I'm really enjoying this space” and then have them share with others who might experience it completely differently. Everyone's ultimately experiencing something good in a different way and that's an important story to tell right there. It's the same story, but we're all seeing or feeling it in different ways. 

It doesn't matter what the subject matter is, if it's Davy Crockett or if it's Toy Story Land, if we're all able to appreciate the slowdown and not be thinking about ‘I have to go home later and do laundry,’ then you know it's a good experience for everyone. We aim to encourage more than just adding fun materials for their cool factor. While they enhance the visual appeal and support the story from an aesthetic standpoint, there's a deeper purpose. The goal is to create spaces that make people feel good when they experience what you've designed.”

Jesse Muller at Arizona Sonora Desert Museum feeding a porcupine, photo provided by Jesse Muller

We would love to extend a sincere thank you to Jesse Muller for sharing his experiences with us. It’s been an absolute joy to hear about the ways in which themed entertainment is tackled from a landscape architecture perspective and the unique ideas the Perry-Becker firm creates!

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Perry-Becker Design is a Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Thematic Design firm located in Orlando, Florida. Their portfolio includes a breadth of work across the industries of hospitality and resort.

LIFE FLOOR NAMED 2024 DREAM DESIGN SUPPLIER BY AQUATICS INTERNATIONAL

We're honored to be named as the Floor Covering Supplier by Aquatics International for four Dream Design Award-winning waterparks in 2024. These four facilities use our surfacing in distinctly thematic ways to engage their guests.

Congratulations to these aquatic centers and to all of our partners who collaborated to bring them to life!

2024 Dream Designs

Serengeti Springs at Hattiesburg Zoo

Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA

Life Floor surfaces nearly 18,000 sq ft (1,672 m²) beneath WhiteWater’s incredible Fusion Fortress that was designed and engineered by Martin Aquatic who acted as the consultant for this unique project. As Authorized Life Floor Designers, Martin Aquatic and WhiteWater collaborated to create visual zones throughout the space with our surfaces to complete the playful safari theming.

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Aqua Nick at Nickelodeon™ Hotels and Resorts

Riviera Maya, Mexico

Designed by WhiteWater + WTI, Life Floor surfaces several activity zones at the resort including Bikini Bottom Beach and Paw Patrol Adventure Bay. Vibrant Bluebird, Aviator, and Iceberg colors are designed in a wave pattern throughout the park, which helps to create a consistent theme that compliments the features, while also providing added safety and comfort for guests of all ages.

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Camp Barnabas

Purdy, Missouri, USA

Creating accessible spaces for all people is one of our passions and Life Floor is proud to surface three areas of the pool amenity including two splash pads and the transition for the zero-depth entry. These inclusive amenities provide more play value for campers with traction to prevent slips and cushioning to protect falls that keeps the fun going all day long.

A sincere thank you to Sunbelt Pools and Splashtacular for leading this project and coordinating with multiple industry partners with the goal to give Camp Barnabas's pool new life.

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Echo Hollow Pool Replacement

Eugene, Oregon, USA

A Life Floor Landing Pad is featured under the diving board at Echo Hollow Pool, designed by Aquatic Design Group. Our Landing Pads provide increased cushioning for greater fall height protection with slip-resistance that is non-abrasive.

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We celebrate these awards with all of the fellow teams who worked diligently to create these iconic facilities and elevate guest experiences worldwide.

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In addition to the winners above, Life Floor contributed to the following projects and was awarded Dream Design Supplier designations by Aquatics International in previous years:

2023 DREAM DESIGNS

Studio City Waterpark

Macau, China

Life Floor is featured throughout the 5,000 sq ft indoor expansion of the waterpark.

University of Nebraska Medical Center Munroe-Meyer Institute

Omaha, Nebraska, United States

Life Floor is featured throughout the indoor pool and splash pad.

Margaritaville Beach Resort Fins Up Waterpark

Nassau, The Bahamas

Life Floor is featured under WhiteWater’s outdoor themed play structure.

2022 DREAM DESIGNS

Baha Bay at Baha Mar

Nassau, Bahamas

Life Floor is featured on Kid’s Island at Turtle Beach and Stingray Cove.

Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark

Dubai, UAE

Life Floor surfaces multiple areas of Splasher’s Island including the newest Splasher’s Cove.

2021 DREAM DESIGNS

The St. James of Springfield, VA

Springfield, Virginia, USA

Life Floor’s blue surfacing creates a colorful backdrop in the play structure area of the facility.

2020 DREAM DESIGNS

Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay

Little Stirrup, Bahamas

Bold, custom graphics energize Splashaway Bay while a beach design completes the theming at Captain Jill’s Galleon.

Lopesan Costa Bavaro Resort

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Cushioned and slip-resistant tiles brighten up the splash pad at Splash Island Waterpark.

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We love collaborating to create iconic aquatic facility designs. For more information about these projects or to learn how you can purchase our award-winning surfacing for your facility, contact us.

Life Floor Announces Major Expansion of U.S. Partner Network

Life Floor is thrilled to welcome seven new partners to our Registered Aquatic Partner program and Installer Network. This significant expansion enables us to better serve our customers through improved mobilization, tailored customer support, and reduced overall installation costs for our products.

In addition to our already established partnerships with Baynum Amusement Solutions and Fischer Brothers, LLC., we’d like to extend a warm welcome to Concrete Science, Full Sail Marine, Headwater Construction Group, Horizon Commercial Pools, Landmark Aquatic, Norberto Construction, and Safe Slide Restoration. Continue reading to learn more about each of our new partners.

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Concrete Science

Concrete Science is a 120 person Concrete and Coatings Construction company based out of Minneapolis MN. They were started in 1973 and are a family owned start up, formerly Hicks Concrete. They have 4 Divisions: Commercial Concrete, Decorative Concrete, Industrial/ Residential Coatings, and Aquatics. They are highly diverse, but also highly specialized. They have crews that travel year-round as well specializing in waterpark flooring. Their second office is in Fort Myers, Florida.

Learn More

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FULL SAIL MARINE

Founded in 2017, Full Sail Marine, LLC is a leading maritime maintenance service provider of specialized services to the marine industry. Their comprehensive offerings include turnkey solutions for waterpark structure & finish repair and refurbishment and repair, whirlpool supply & repair, and ADA access equipment supply, installation, and maintenance. Catering primarily to major cruise lines, they specialize in the supply of repelling teams for high-risk access work areas. With an overriding commitment to excellence, innovation and safety, Full Sail Marine, LLC continues to be a trusted partner in enhancing onboard maintenance standards.

Learn More

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Headwater Construction Group

Founded in 1993 as Air-Tech Systems, Inc., Headwater Construction Group began its journey as a specialized gunite and pool construction company under the leadership of Steven Jones. Originating with residential projects in New Jersey, the company steadily expanded its expertise and geographical reach, evolving into a nationwide commercial builder with services including commercial construction, renovation, service, design, consultation, and equipment sales. Over the years, Headwater Construction Group has become renowned for its excellence in the aquatic recreation industry, undertaking diverse projects ranging from small-scale municipal splash pads to design-build of multi-million-dollar waterparks across the United States.

Learn More

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HORIZON COMMERCIAL POOLS

Horizon Commercial Pools is a leading provider of commercial swimming pool service, equipment, chemicals, and renovations. Founded in 1991, Horizon maintains local operations across Minnesota and Wisconsin while serving the broader Midwest market. The company prides itself on delivering aquatic joy and education to customers by supplying the industry’s highest-quality products and solutions.

Learn More

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LANDMARK AQUATIC

By leveraging the experience and history of three commercial aquatics industry leaders – Progressive Commercial Aquatics, Westport Pools, and Spear Corporation – Landmark Aquatic offers a comprehensive range of aquatic facility services, including design and engineering, construction, maintenance, renovation, and chemical supply to customers across the country. The combination has created a full-service aquatic services provider with the unique ability to work with engineers, architects, general contractors, and owners to provide the “wow factor” that guests expect while balancing cost, function, form, efficiency, and ease of operations. Going forward, Landmark Aquatic will continue to serve municipal, education, and private club clients, and the consolidated enterprise is supported by a workforce of highly skilled, well-trained professionals committed to safety and best-in-class service.

Learn More

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NORBERTO CONSTRUCTION

The Norberto Family is a leader in the commercial and residential pool building industry, working with the owners, engineers, architects, general contractors and sub-contractors in all aspects of swimming pool design, construction and services.  They cater to all aquatic needs, large or small. Norberto Construction is based out of New York and is fully licensed and bonded in Nassau and Suffolk counties and New York City.

Learn More

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SAFE SLIDE RESTORATION

With over 30 years in fiberglass repair, and 15 years of expertise in the aquatics industry, Safe Slide Restoration is a trusted partner for comprehensive aquatic solutions. Their goal is to protect their partners' guests and investments, and they are now excited to offer Life Floor surfacing solutions for increased safety in every park. From waterslide installation to specialty coatings, they’ve been trusted to deliver consistent restoration and protected partnerships, making aquatic adventures worry-free for all.

Learn More

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Thank you to each of our new partners for believing in our mission and joining us to make all aquatic spaces safe, beautiful, and accessible. We’ll be sharing more as each of these partners complete training and become Certified Life Floor Installers.

If you have any questions, please reach out to our team.

Storytelling in Aquatics

When people think of themed entertainment and attractions that tell strong stories, they often picture immersive lands and the iconic dark rides of traditional theme parks. Aquatic attractions are occasionally designed with themed elements in the foreground, but they're usually treated as spaces to gather rather than to explore.

Some of the most successful waterparks function like theme parks with flowing narratives and creative details that spark imagination and bring stories to life.

Photo Credit: Disney’s Blizzard Beach

Take Disney’s Blizzard Beach for example where an unexpected snowstorm landed in central Florida leading to the state’s first ski resort. Or Universal’s Volcano Bay with its backstory rooted in the Waturi discovering a new island to call home. Similar to traditional theme parks, these aquatic spaces benefit greatly from imaginative storytelling and cohesive design elements. 

Photo Credit: Universal’s Runamukka Reef

While Life Floor functions primarily as an aquatic surfacing solution, our projects are often featured within a broader context and designed to match specific themes, stories, or aesthetics. These installations are found on cruise ships, within water parks, at resorts, and at municipal facilities worldwide.

As each of these projects come to life, we consider the stories our floors tell. We think about how they contribute to theming, how they can add dimensionality to create a more immersive environment, and how specialty elements add play opportunities for guests. Throughout each of these design exercises, we contemplate the overarching role of storytelling in aquatic environments.

Photo Credit: Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

Adding a story or a theme to a space creates an immersive experience that transports guests to a different world. While the vast majority of aquatic spaces trend toward underwater or beach themes, the diversity of design potential is endless. From forest-themed splash pads to outer space-inspired waterparks, we’ve witnessed spectacular ideas come to life.

Themed elements inspire imaginative play and create engaging experiences for guests. Starting with an overarching narrative, intentional design decisions can be made to truly create an environment that aligns with any vision.  

So how exactly do designers of aquatic spaces execute on a story or a theme? Large 3D elements are often the main focal points. Spray features, play structures, slides, and sculptures draw guests’ attention immediately. Curated considerations like furniture, landscaping, and rockwork tie into these elements as well. Surface designers craft the appearance of signage, vertical panels on play structures, themed walls, and artwork around facilities to create enhanced visuals throughout. Sound and lighting bring an environment to life by creating an ambiance keyed into the senses to illuminate storytelling details. Setting the scene with the right tone is critical to completing an atmosphere and achieving the right effect.

From a flooring perspective, stories are told through themed Inlays, life-sized objects, game boards, and even character IP. Sometimes it involves including a certain color palette or geometric element that ties a design together or evokes a certain environment. We always look for ways to create a thematic scene or blend our floor into the rest of the aquatic setting. Together, all of these design considerations have the potential to tell a story at each facility, no matter the scale. 

Throughout the coming year, we look forward to exploring these elements in further detail. We’ll feature stories that take a peek behind the curtain to describe the design and engineering processes of iconic projects. We’ll also illuminate the ways that other suppliers and designers consider storytelling when specifying certain components to craft these themed spaces. Exploring this topic within the aquatics industry wouldn’t be complete without highlighting the actual stories of many of the key leaders within this space. Overall, we look forward to engaging with the larger community and sharing more about how our partners continue to innovate as they design these themed aquatic attractions. 

We’d love to hear from other creatives within the industry. If you’d like to join in on the conversation, please email our VP of Design, Kelsi Goss, to get involved!

Replacing Pour-in-Place with Life Floor at Yawa Aquatic Centre

Yawa Aquatic Centre in Victoria, Australia is an indoor, $37M, state-of-the-art recreation centre that opened in 2021 and offers a wide range of year-round aquatic, leisure, and wellness programs for people of all ages.

After: Life Floor

Before: Pour-in-Place Bonded Rubber

Prior to the installation of Life Floor, keeping the floor clean throughout the Aqua Play Zone proved difficult for facility staff. The pour-in-place surface contributed to significant health concerns for patrons due to extensive mold growth permeating the porous material. Exhaustive efforts to remove the mold were not successful, so Yawa Aquatic Centre decided to remove the entire pour-in-place surface and install Life Floor due to our product’s impervious, easy to clean nature.

Yawa Aquatic Centre boasts a playful beach theme complete with Waterplay spray fixtures, palm tree structures, and side wall graphics that reinforce this design. The customer selected our Montauk Theme to emulate a sandy beach.

Within the gradient of square tiles, Mojave paths weave around the space to subtly guide circulation and avoid slide runouts. Inlays from our Marine and Sea Life sets provide pops of color and theming, tying into the designs of the Waterplay structure and features. A thicker area of Life Floor was installed around the slide runout to increase cushioning and safety for this high-impact area.

Life Floor Australia and New Zealand contracted an accredited installer, Maurer Construction Tiling, to adjust the concrete sub-base to improve drainage, reduce water pooling, and install Life Floor at this beautiful centre.

Thank you to Life Floor Australia and New Zealand for your continued collaboration and dedication to serving the greater Oceania region.

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Learn more about Life Floor

Pre-Season Checklist for Aquatic Centers

As the upcoming season approaches, be sure you’re ready to curate positive experiences and memories all summer long! Keep reading for some recommendations as you prepare your aquatic center for the year.

Intentionally Evaluate Spaces

To begin any pre-season checklist, we recommend intentionally evaluating amenities for potential improvements and making a plan centered around those aspects. Some common areas of improvement that can have a significant impact on guest experience and facility management include:

1. Shade and seating options

2. Multi-generational engagement opportunities

3. Accessible features and amenities

4. Areas prone to incident reports

5. Drinking fountains, bathrooms, and locker rooms

6. Surface and fixture maintenance

Improve Aquatic Center Safety

Improving safety at aquatic centers often begins with adding safety surfacing to directly influence positive play value. Hazards such as slip-and-fall incidents are reduced and guests are more likely to engage in good risky play such as hopping, skipping, and playing in water.

Resolving Slippery, Failing Surfaces

Some of the most common pain points we hear involve slippery or abrasive surfaces that are difficult to maintain. These issues often lead to increased risk at facilities.

We're often contacted by parks and recreation professionals who have tried other surfacing solutions at their aquatic facilities which have failed. Rubberized or aggregate materials are often designed for dry playgrounds and aren't engineered to withstand the unique aquatic combination of UV and chemicals common at splash pads or pool decks.

To resolve these surfacing issues, choose an NSF/ANSI/CAN 50 Certified product that is slip-resistant, cushioned, impermeable, cleanable, UV resistant, and chemical resistant.

Cleaning and Hygiene

Others have looked to improve cleanability or have struggled with microbe growth on the surfacing at their facilities. Unlike porous options, Life Floor features a closed-cell technology, which doesn’t foster growth of bacteria, mold, and algae. Our tiles have been third-party tested for cleanability and offer a solution for anyone who has experienced similar issues.

Water Slide Landings

An easy, low cost way to improve safety at any facility is to install bolt-free landing pads for water slide exits and landings. These landing pads are cushioned and slip-resistant without being abrasive. Made from the same material as Life Floor tiles, they are also more durable than some multi-layered options.

Elevate the Appearance of Aquatic Amenities

If you are considering refreshing the overall design aesthetic of a facility, there are several components to consider.

Surface Updates

Surfacing can completely transform the look and feel of a facility since it is typically the largest feature present. Utilize this opportunity to create an engaging pattern under and around play fixtures, incorporate games such as hopscotch, or include thematic Inlays that add visual interest and function as a subtle search-and-find activity.

When planning for a surfacing update, consider using safety surfacing and including the overspray area to improve the overall safety of guests.

Before: Concrete Surface

After: Life Floor Surface

Fixture Updates

Fixture updates can be as simple as repainting or repairing existing features. If you want to increase play value for guests, consider upgrading fixtures to new models that facilitate collaborative play.

Before

After: Waterplay Fixtures

Maintenance Updates

As you continue to evaluate updates for the season, check to ensure pumps, filtration, and systems are operating within manufacturer specifications. Fixture manufacturers have specific flow rate recommendations for their features and operating outside of those recommendations can result in weak flows that are boring or overly strong flows which can dissuade play.

Restoring slides, stairs, and other fiberglass materials can ensure operational success. Restoration experts can do site evaluations that will help you determine the areas of facilities that need attention.

Refer to manufacturer’s specifications for proper flow rates and maintenance procedures.

Image Credit: Fischer Brothers, LLC.

REFRESH Existing Aquatic Centers

Existing aquatic centers are valued as key amenities by communities and resorts across the world. Keeping them in good operating status is important for guest enjoyment and returning visitors.

Consider what elements of your existing aquatic center could benefit from a refresh and prioritize based on your unique needs. Often, guest feedback is an ideal way to better understand the pulse of how visitors are perceiving amenities. Use this feedback to help inform what would be the most appreciated updates and have the greatest positive results.

Before: Concrete and Fading Fixtures

After: Life Floor and Refreshed Fixtures

Overall, as you continue to evaluate facilities for the upcoming season, have fun! Bright pops of color, imaginative designs, and new features have the potential to transform a space. Even small improvements transform the way splash pads, pool decks, and aquatic centers look and function. Thoughtful design contributes meaningfully to guest experience and creating positive memories to keep them coming back all season long.

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To learn more about how Life Floor’s surfacing solutions can help get your facility ready for the upcoming season, contact us today! We can connect you to our partners who specialize in spray and play fixtures, water slides, multi-level play structures, fiberglass restoration, and more.

How Long Will Life Floor Last?

With over 2,000 installations worldwide, Life Floor is trusted by leading brands and is the recommended surface for WhiteWater, Waterplay, and Rain Drop Products. Our tiles are made from a closed cell foam-rubber and we find that partners and customers are often curious about the general lifespan of our surfacing. While we offer a 5-year material warranty on our 3/8” thick tiles, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to durability. The following are a few factors to consider when assessing Life Floor for different environments.

TRAFFIC

Generally, after 10 million steps, our tiles will start to experience texture fading, reduced cushioning, and can potentially show small micro cracks from pool chemicals and UV exposure.

UV EXPOSURE

UV exposure is the greatest factor affecting durability. We’ve engineered our tiles to last in extreme UV climates like Miami for at least 5 years. If you fall into a climate zone with less UV exposure than climates closest to the equator, you can expect outdoor Life Floor installations to last between 7-10 years.

AVERAGE EXPECTATIONS

Indoor waterpark installations typically last 10-15 years. Outdoor splash pad installations typically last 7-10 years. Geographic location and volume of traffic often play a role in extending or shortening these expectations.

WHAT ABOUT COLD CLIMATES?

Life Floor is engineered to flex with the freeze and thaw cycles of seasons.

The top of Life Floor tiles may expand and contract with high and low temperatures. In winter months, contraction creates wider joints. In summer months, expansion creates tighter joints. Rapid temperature changes and/or wide swings have negligible impact on tile performance after installation. Approved contact cement adhesives keep the base of the tile secured to the underlayment or substrate.

Pictured above is one of our oldest outdoor splash pad installations at Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells. This splash pad has experienced TEN freeze-thaw cycles and is still performing great!

WHAT ABOUT COLOR LOSS?

We love design and we want every surface to look bold and bright for as long as possible. Colors generally fade in sunlight, but we’ve spent over a decade engineering our tiles to increase color longevity.

With our latest product innovations tailer to UV resistance, colors will stay vibrant through the warranty period when facilities follow proper water chemistry protocols and tile maintenance.

Want to learn about how our tiles are third-party tested for durability?
Read about how we meet the criteria for the NSF/ANSI/CAN 50 standard here.

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GET STARTED ON YOUR PROJECT TODAY

With complementary design services and a dedicated team ready to answer any questions, we can’t wait to identify a solution for your surfacing needs. Contact us to get the ball rolling!

ALL ABOARD! CRUISES FILLED WITH AQUATIC FUN

Guest experience is essential aboard any cruise ship to ensure a fun and unique vacation for passengers. Among the numerous amenities available, water features have become increasingly popular attractions. Flowriders by WhiteWater Industries, waterslides, splash pads, and beautiful pools have become staples for many vessels. As a result, patrons have come to expect bigger and brighter aquatic experiences as new vessels are built. 

LARGE AQUATIC PLAY STRUCTURES

Elevated structures such as multi-level interactive water play structures or waterslide towers create an immediate presence that cruisers are often amazed by. These types of amenities serve as a focal point for the ship as a whole and create lasting memories.

Surf machines such as Flowrider by WhiteWater Industries are compact attractions, but they have a large onboard impact. For many guests, exposure to surf machines like these might happen for the first time on a cruise. Some ships have chosen to reinforce branding alongside the surrounding walkways and reduce risk with Life Floor’s custom logos and safety surfacing benefits.

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POOL DECKS

Pool decks are popular amenities on cruise ships. Having a comfortable pool deck where guests feel at ease improves guest experience at these amenity types. Because these features are central to recreation on the upper decks of ships, vibrant designs that match the ship’s theming have become increasingly popular.

Beyond the focus on great looking pool decks, it’s essential that these areas are designed with safety and cleanability in mind. Certain elements can provide visual signals to guests regarding critical elements such as a pool edge, step down, or depth of water. Slip resistance can help maintain guests’ footing in these wet areas especially when paired with motion at sea. Surfaces that resist the growth of harmful bacteria help to protect the health of guests, especially since ships are heavily occupied with little downtime between voyages. 

By keeping these elements in mind, the upper decks of cruise ships provide the ultimate zones for aquatic relaxation and fun for their guests as they voyage across the seas. 

SPLASH PADS

Splash pads have become a popular amenity onboard cruise ships for families with young children or guests looking for aquatic play outside a pool setting.

Splash pads provide a variety of play options from dump buckets to water spray features. Generally, free play is more widely available on splash pads due to play requiring a level of imagination and creativity. Encouraging free play by having a highly themed splash pad can help guests who may not know one another play with a similar theme in mind. For example, a pirate themed splash pad can lend a story arc option to guests and create memories that may not have otherwise happened. 

Including all aspects of a splash pad’s construction in theming allows for greater customization and control of the greater cruise experience. From water jets to surfacing, utilizing all the aspects of splash pad design can curate experiences for guests.

Image Credit: eatsleepcruise.com

KIDS’ PLAY AREAS

Kids’ play areas are perfect for onboard daycares and family zones. Both indoor and outdoor dry play areas on cruise ships often feature various playground equipment that require a fall attenuating, cushioned surface to protect against accidental falls when equipment is elevated. An IMO-certified surface like Life Floor has been popular in these applications. 

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Fun, vibrant flooring designs can help brighten up a play area by incorporating colors and themes that complement the rest of the space. Inlaid designs can provide another layer of play engagement with surface games or scavenger hunts. Life Floor’s custom cutting capabilities can also reinforce branding with cruise line logos or iconography. 

See our standard Inlay Library here.

PRIVATE ISLANDS

Beyond all of the fun on board, cruise lines that stop at their own private islands allow for all-inclusive theming in a secluded locale. Building an island environment is incredibly complex and requires a wide scope of considerations which centers around guest experience and enjoyment. Aquatic amenities are often the main features on private islands as guests seek to cool off and enjoy warm weather.

Life Floor is featured at two splash pads that can be enjoyed whenever passengers spend a Perfect Day® at CocoCay® courtesy of Royal Caribbean. Guests can cool off, run and play, or relax on the sidelines at both Splashaway Bay designed by Martin Aquatic Design & Engineering or at Captain Jill’s Galleon designed by the Life Floor Studio. These two projects at CocoCay are quintessential examples of Life Floor’s ability to match any aquatic feature’s theming and support risk reduction. 

The graphic elements of these two installations extend the scope of theming to provide immersive engagement for guests.  At Splashaway Bay, the designs on the slide tower panels were integrated into the surface design. Similarly, Captain Jill’s Galleon features a massive vessel with the surfacing surrounding it designed to mimic a body of water. 

Guest experience at an island vista requires comprehensive planning and safety parameters to ensure a low-risk environment while providing ample options for adrenaline-pumping adventures mixed with relaxing opportunities. To minimize interruptions to play, reducing overall risk is critical. One way to reduce risk in aquatic features specifically is to invest in safety surfacing that has increased slip-resistance and cushioning to better protect guests. 

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Life Floor’s IMO Certified safety surfacing is both lightweight and durable for all types of wet or dry amenities.

We have so much fun working on these projects and serving the unique needs of our cruise partners such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Lines, MSC, and Norwegian Cruise Lines among others. To specify Life Floor for your cruise ship, please contact Lindsay Fetzer here.

BEHIND THE SCENES INSTALLATION AT NORTH POINT TRAILS COMMUNITY

Credit: Pembina Valley Online

The North Point Trails Community in Winkler, Manitoba, Canada was established in 2020 through Triple E Developments. Within this community, North Point Park hosts a beautiful playground as well as a splash pad featuring Life Floor safety surfacing in vibrant colors. When choosing a flooring option for the aquatic feature, safety was a priority for the city and the upcoming community. 

Installation of this splash pad was completed by Prairie Surfaces in October 2020 and overseen by our Installation Specialist, Matt Thelen. Their team battled fierce weather conditions including strong, steady winds and rain clouds threatening overhead for days.

Thelen recounts the experience, “[We] pretty much have to have someone beside you holding one tile at a time so it doesn’t blow away. All gluing done in the trailers. [We] parked a semi trailer onsite to help block the wind. The boxes move with us to create a dust/wind barrier as well.”

Despite these environmental challenges, the Prairie Surfaces team installed this beautiful splash pad with top professionalism and care for detail.

“[Life Floor] provides parents peace of mind knowing their children can play safely on the surface.”

— Angela Elias, Executive Assistant, Triple E Developments

Credit: Pembina Valley Online

““It’s easy to move around, it looks great. There’s a washroom building tied in, so you can get changed right at the park. Nearby there’s a gazebo, and a play structure, so it’s just overall a great green space.”

— Jordan Driedger, Winkler's Director of Community Services

This splash pad in Winkler, MB is one of the first facilities in Canada to have a certified splash pad safety surface. The NSF/ANSI/CAN 50:26 standard, which sets forth product requirements for aquatic recreation safety surfacing, was recently expanded to include Canadian territories.  Manitoba’s code does not currently reference NSF 50 Standards, but neighboring territory Saskatchewan has a comprehensive reference within the territory’s code for aquatic facilities. 

Thank you to our partners in Canada, Polyvalens and Prairie Surfaces, for collaborating with us on this project, to Playquest Recreation for recommending us for this project, and to Triple E Developments for including us on this project. 

Do you have a project in mind located in Canada? Connect with Paul-Émile at Polyvalens to receive more information and receive a quote today.

A THEMED COLLABORATION WITH WESTPORT POOLS AND MEXICO, MO

It's an exciting season for our team as we watch so many newly renovated facilities reopen across the country. One of our most recent installations at the Fairgrounds Aquatic Center in Mexico, MO features both a zero-depth entry and a separate splash pad.

The City of Mexico, MO had originally been working with Westport Pools, one of our Registered Aquatic Partners, on this project. When they mentioned their interest in a resilient safety surfacing solution, Life Floor was recommended, and our team was looped into the design process.

We worked collaboratively with the city on several flooring design options that would add aquatic theming to both their zero depth entry and splash pad. The intent was for the safety surfacing to complement their spray features and play structure on site. Ultimately, the designs they selected achieved their goals of mimicking a seashore for the zero depth entry and a body of water for the splash pad while also staying within budget.

The design of this particular zero depth entry is unique in that it combines a triangle gradient for the "sand" and "water" zones while also featuring a clean, curvy custom cut edge separating the two. Because Life Floor is manufactured as 2' x 2' tiles, cutting curves into any design results in increased overages as the squares are trimmed away. By selectively choosing to only use this effect for the shoreline, the city was able to achieve their design intent without the added expense of creating the entire gradient effect out of curves. Marine inlays were included to augment the theming. Fish and seahorses can be found in the "water" while crabs and starfish can be found on the "sand." 

The simple design of the splash pad uses our popular High Tide 301 Theme and Pattern. This tile arrangement is one of our most cost-effective options to create the effect of water and is often enhanced by thematic inlays like the fish shown here. 

Collaborating with Westport Pools and the City of Mexico, MO throughout this iterative process was extremely rewarding for our team. We're appreciative of their partnership and their shared commitment of creating safer and more beautiful aquatic spaces. 

To learn more about how you can work with our team to enhance your aquatic facility, contact us today!