Swimming Pools and Ponds – A technical look at trends in design…

At the point of putting pen to paper, this still seems to be one of the wettest winter to spring transitions I can remember, but if a client brief, budget and site conditions allow, then a pool still has to be one of the most luxurious of elements to include within a garden space. Trends in pool design and construction very much depend on the site and accompanying architecture as well as who holds the purse strings.

As a feature or element within a design, a pool should never be underestimated. You need to work through local and national planning constraints, structural calculations, often complex costings and the pool’s relationship with the wider landscape before designing the rest of the space around it. A pool can have a detrimental effect on a site’s schedule (even with the best planning) and costs can sometimes spiral. On the right project a swimming pool can be an opportunity to create fun, reflection, movement and bring hint of luxury to a space, from the obvious elements such as the tiles and copings you choose to the functionality of the cover, how it moves and the way that water is lit after dark – bringing magic to the rest of the garden. If you have a collaborative client with the right budget then you needn’t worry. 

Visually the colour of the internal tile of a pool can completely change the appearance of the water from above so think carefully about how you spec this. Lots of clients now seem to be opting for a more natural water colour rather than the classic dark blue lining. 

From a construction perspective, think about steps and copings and the detail junction where materials join as this will be in swimmers eye line. What does the waterline do to this detail, and can you see it when you’re swimming. Traditionally freeboard pools have been more favourable, with the waterline typically approximately 150mm below the coping stone with water being taken away from the pool via a series of skimmers. This style still works well in certain contexts, but in a more contemporary setting, I’d tend to opt for a deck level pool. In this instance the pool has a slot drain running around the outside of it and the waterline is flush to the coping. This means there’s more continuous water movement out of the pool into the balance tank. In my opinion deck level pools tend to look more luxurious but they do have to be fit for purpose and can be costly to detail, they bring the water up and out of the shell in the ground – linking it more with the journey around the pool at tile level where the end user is walking, sitting and entertaining. 

In a chlorinated pool I’d opt almost exclusively for a porcelain tile to avoid damage over time from chemicals. You needn’t use anything thicker than 10mm on the inside of the pool. A more budget friendly alternative could be to use a coloured liner which often compliments a simple shell construction. There are many crane in and finish solutions which can be more budget friendly. 

The recent trend for naturalistic material finishes seems to be continuing, and although a pool needs to be multi purpose and a place for fun and play, I’d say the person who’s commissioned it usually wants it to be somewhere to relax and unwind. Gone are the days of chrome hand rails and roman step access but instead expansive full width steps, feature tiled walls and overflow/ infinity details. We tend to stick to a typical tiled terrace surround for the pool which helps with maintenance and creating seating space for loungers and fun and games. Bullnose copings are still the preferred edge detail for comfort when you’re sat poolside or lifting yourself out of the pool away from steps. 

In the last two years 90% of the pools that have been built on projects we’ve worked on have been in direct proximity to the interior of the house pulling the pool directly toward the living space and making it a day to day feature for the end user. In more rural settings this often isn’t the case, and pools are set away from the house slightly so as not to detract from the views of the wider rural landscape. In this instance, the pool usually has an accompanying pool-house or pavilion.  Somewhere to have friends, evening parties and enjoy those relatively rare long summer days we do sometimes get here in the UK.

The huge uptake in wild swimming and increase in environmental consciousness has seen the trend in Natural Swimming Ponds falling into favour. Natural pools are the epitome of escapism, relaxation and being literally immersed in nature. They are specialist entities, and you should always engage with a specialist designer and contractor.

A natural swimming pond does exactly what it says on the tin. Think less of tangling your feet in weeds and swallowing pond skimmers, but more swimming in a managed but organically filtered pool. Natural swimming ponds are often less uniform in shape and from the ground level encased in planting, meaning they sit naturally into a garden space.

Construction wise all swimming ponds have a shallow shelf around the outside, this is the regeneration area where oxygenating planting cleans and filters the water. The shelf is separated in areas to form access for swimmers and stop detritus from falling into the pond.
A nice way to enjoy a swimming pond is from above, looking into beautifully clear water, enjoying play on light, movement of reeds and grasses… A cantilevered deck out over the water is often used and means you can immerse yourself within or above what’s essentially a living
breathing entity adding to the illusion that the site has been built around an existing natural watercourse.

A superb example of a more contemporary swimming pond was featured on the channel 4 show Grand designs a few years ago. See www.studiofuse.co.uk – The Water Shed.

This stunning project seamlessly blends exquisite planting, a balanced materials palette and a family friendly pool element. I think one of the key successes of this scheme is that the pool is accessible from all sides. It is present across the space , providing a relaxing view from the kitchen, a reflective backdrop to a meandering walk through the planted areas, and a more traditional place to lounge and dive in adjacent to the outbuilding – the epitome of a focal point. 
 



 


 

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