Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial, USA

In 2015 CyArk partnered with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and teachers from the Mid-Pacific Institute in Oahu to digitally preserve the Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial.  The objective of the project was to not only digitally preserve the historic World War I memorial, but to also train educators from Mid Pacific on new technologies and raise awareness for the threatened site. Over 100 scans were taken around the perimeter of the site as well as all of the interior spaces.

The swimming pool design of the memorial was chosen because of the way it embodies Hawaii's affinity with water. As the legislature of Hawaii envisioned, it was a monument to celebrate a way of life that had been defended by those who served. Many famous athletes and swimmers made appearances at the pool, including Duke Kahanamoku, Esther Williams, Buster Crabbe, and Johnny Weeissmuller. The pool was also used to teach elementary school children how to swim as part of a mandatory Department of Education's Learn to Swim program. During World War II, the Waikiki Natatorium was taken over by the US Army and used for their own training programs before being refurbished and given back to the City of Honolulu. Before being closed down to the public in 1963, many tourists and local residents had frequented the pool as a popular recreational spot.