Swimming Pool Shade, Dubai Men’s College

The competition swimming pool at Dubai Men’s College, part of the Higher Colleges of Technology network, required year-round usability in the Gulf climate — which meant shading a very large water surface and its grandstand without columns obstructing sightlines, circulation or the pool itself.

Al Hamra Industries delivered a sculptural long-span tensile canopy carried by an arched space-truss steel frame. The membrane field is divided into flowing panels tensioned over a cable net, creating the dramatic wing-like geometry visible from across the campus while channelling wind uplift and rainwater to controlled points.

The result transforms the pool deck: water temperatures are reduced, swimmers and spectators are protected from direct sun, and the facility has gained an architectural centrepiece. All steel fabrication and membrane welding were completed in our Sharjah factory before a carefully sequenced site installation over the live campus.

Engineering & Delivery Highlights

• Column-free long-span coverage over the competition pool and grandstand seating
• Arched space-truss steel frame engineered for long spans and coastal wind loads
• Cable-net tensioned membrane panels patterned and welded in-house for precise fit
• Reduced water temperature and UV exposure for year-round training and competition use
• Installation sequenced to keep disruption to the operating campus to a minimum