Architectural Details

Dry run

Past a dim maze of cinder-block hallways, abandoned locker rooms, and concrete stairs stands the echoey—and now very dry—Ida Noyes swimming pool. With a row of lacy stonework windows and a menagerie of carved mermaids and other seaworthy creatures adorning the building’s facade, the pool’s room reflects Ida Noyes Hall’s original function as a lavishly appointed clubhouse and gymnasium.

Built in 1916, Ida Noyes served University women, then barred from the all-male Bartlett Gymnasium and Reynolds Club. Once the men’s buildings were integrated, Bartlett’s larger facility assumed the bulk of aquatic activities and the 20-yard, four-lane Ida Noyes pool was relegated to early-bird swimmers and the water polo club. The Bartlett pool closed in 2000 to make way for a new dining facility, and Ida Noyes’s was drained when the Gerald Ratner Athletic Center opened last fall. Awaiting metamorphosis, the space may eventually be used for arts programs or other student activities.—A.L.M.