Below, take a closer look at what specifications projects needed to qualify for each category in the AOE competition.
RESIDENTIAL CONCRETE POOLS
POOLS WITH A VANISHING EDGE 600 SQ. FT. OR LESS:
Any shape, design or type of construction, 600 sq. ft. or less of water surface area. Water feature detain in which water flows over the edge of at least one of the pool walls and is collected in a catch basin.
POOLS WITH A VANISHING EDGE 601 SQ. FT. OR MORE:
Any shape, design or type of construction, 601 sq. ft. or more of water surface area. Water feature detain in which water flows over the edge of at least one of the pool walls and is collected in a catch basin.
FREEFORM 600 SQ. FT. OR LESS:
Combination of non-geometric curves (and straight lines), 600 sq. ft. or less of water surface area.
FREEFORM 601 SQ. FT. OR MORE:
Combination of non-geometric curves (and straight lines), 601 sq. ft. or more of water surface area.
TRADITIONAL 600 SQ. FT. OR LESS:
(e.g., rectangle, Roman-/Grecian-ended) 600 sq. ft. or less of water surface area.
TRADITIONAL 601 SQ. FT. OR MORE:
(e.g., rectangle, Roman-/Grecian-ended) 601 sq. ft. or more of water surface area.
GEOMETRIC 600 SQ. FT. OR LESS:
Combination of straight lines and angles, and/or radius curves, 600 sq. ft. or less of water surface area.
GEOMETRIC 601 SQ. FT. OR MORE:
Combination of straight lines and angles, and/or radius curves, 601 sq. ft. or more of water surface area.
NATURAL SETTING:
(e.g., woods, desert, mountain or rock setting) construction includes products fabricated to resemble natural material — any shape or design.
NATURAL MATERIAL:
(e.g. woods, desert, mountain or rock setting) constructed with all natural materials (excluding mortar, grout, hidden structural elements and pool plaster) any shape or design.
RESIDENTIAL VINYL-LINED POOLS
POOLS WITH A VANISHING EDGE:
Any shape, design or type of construction. Water feature detail in which water flows over the edge of at least one of the pool walls and is collected in catch basin.
FREEFORM:
Combination of nongeometric curves (and straight lines).
TRADITIONAL:
(e.g., rectangle, Roman-/Grecian-ended).
GEOMETRIC:
Combination of straight lines and angles, and/or radius curves.
COMMERCIAL POOL CATEGORIES
COMPETITION POOLS:
Swimming pools that are constructed specifically for competition events that would include swim meets, board and/or platform diving, water polo games, synchronized swimming and/or other competitions.
- Facilities may include: Municipal, Secondary Schools, YMCA, College/Universities, Home Owner Association and Developments, Country Clubs.
RECREATION/LEISURE POOLS:
Swimming pools that are constructed specifically for leisure and recreation.
- Facilities may include: Municipal, College or University (recreation specific, non-competition use), Home Owner Associations and Developments, Resorts, Country Clubs and HMAC (Hotels, Apartments and Condos). Private residences, single dwellings through four-plexes are excluded if not part of a Homeowner Association.
THERAPY POOLS:
Small swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, cold plunge, endless pools, day spa/resort spa pools, etc. that are constructed specifically for therapy purposes.
- Facilities may include: Wellness Centers, Health Clubs, Hospitals, YMCA.
MULTI-USE POOLS:
Facilities that may include swimming pools, spas, hot tubs and other water vessels that are constructed for multiple uses. These pools/water bodies must have a combination of different zones.
- Facilities may include: Municipal, YMCA, Health Clubs, Homeowner Associations and Developments, Country Clubs.
WATER PARK:
An amusement park that features water play areas such as wave action pools, water slides, lazy rivers, surf pools. The facility can be owned/operated by either a public entity, private business or corporation.
- Also see — Pool Renovations and Commercial Water Features.
MISCELLANEOUS POOL CATEGORIES
RESIDENTIAL ABOVEGROUND/PACKAGE POOLS:
Oval/Round/Rectangular with no added accessories/ equipment (i.e., decking, heater, etc.) unless included by the original equipment manufacturer.
RESIDENTIAL FIBERGLASS POOLS:
Includes pools with fiberglass and/or metal walls and concrete or rolled glass floor.
RESIDENTIAL POOLS WITH AUTOMATIC COVERS:
Any type of construction. Must submit two separate photographs: one showing pool covered and one showing pool uncovered.
RESIDENTIAL INTERIOR POOLS:
Any type of construction. Must be enclosed in a permanent structure that permits year-round use.
SCREENED ENCLOSED RESIDENTIAL POOLS:
Any type of construction.
POOL RENOVATIONS:
Construction for both residential and commercial installations with some aspect of the original pool still in existence. IMPORTANT PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDELINES: Submissions must include images before construction begins, during construction and after construction has been completed. All photos are to be taken from the same vantage point. Photos taken during renovation are NOT acceptable as “before” photos. Please label “before,” “during” and “after” in file name of each photo. One picture MUST be of the equipment pad.
TECHNICAL/ENGINEERING ACHIEVEMENT:
Swimming pools of any size or type constructed under unusual circumstances requiring unique technical/ engineering expertise. Must include photos taken during construction highlighting the technical expertise/unusual circumstances.
CLASSIC RESIDENTIAL POOLS:
Any residential pool, regardless of size or type of construction, built at least 10 years prior to deadline that has not had any cosmetic changes or modernizations that would otherwise qualify it in the “Pool Renovations” category. Year pool was finished MUST accompany entry. Pools located outside U.S. and Canada are also eligible for this category.
ELEVATED POOL AND/OR SPA STRUCTURE - NEW CATEGORY:
Any Pool and/or Spa structure, Commercial, Public or Residential that is constructed over occupied space. These may be constructed out of concrete, metal or fiberglass.
HOT TUBS, SPAS AND WATER FEATURES
EXTERIOR/INTERIOR PORTABLE HOT TUBS:
Self-contained units with hydromassage jets that are manufactured from prefabricated materials at a factory. Units are made of metal (stainless steel), acrylic or thermoplastic shell and are surrounded by a cabinet that houses the controls, the pump, header and filter. Portable hot tubs can be moved to another location and reinstalled.
HOT TUB SHELLS:
Unites that are made of metal (stainless steel), acrylic or thermoplastic shell, but the pump, heater and filter are not an integral part of the unit — they are located separately. This type of hot tub is permanent once installed.
CONCRETE SPAS:
Not attached to a swimming pool. Permanently installed units with hyromassage jets that are constructed out of concrete (gunite, shotcrete, etc.) Includes residential and semipublic/public installations.
Spas Built in Conjunction with Swimming Pools: Permanently installed units with hydromassage jets that are constructed out of concrete (gunite, shotcrete, etc.) and attached to a pool. The pool portion of the installation cannot have been submitted in a previous year’s competition, nor can it be entered in the current year’s competition.
SWIM SPAS:
Hot tub or spa that has swim jets in a portion of the vessel. Can be manufactured from prefabricated materials at a factory or constructed out of concrete
(gunite, shotcrete, etc.).
RESIDENTIAL WATER FEATURES:
Non-bathing entity such as fountains or atriums, not connected to or part of a swimming pool, used only for aesthetic purposes.
COMMERCIAL WATER FEATURES:
Non-bathing entity such as fountains or atriums, not connected to or part of a swimming pool, used only for aesthetic purposes.
