Curved pools high above the ground
While even a regular swimming pool is a luxury, architects in Spain have taken the design a step further: Two s-shaped pool levels are the defining design element of a vacation home – made possible with the help of PLEXIGLAS®.
Viewed from above, the different levels of the swimming pools resemble a combination of curves usually found on a Formula 1 racetrack. The top level comprises two large swimming pools, separated by an “island” with plants on it, and provides bathers the opportunity to splash in cool waters, while the lower level boasts a total of four pools. Underwater Windows creates and implements these special and unique ideas for swimming pools across the globe, however, this project was particularly special, even for the experts from the Netherlands.
45 elements, 6 pools
With regard to construction, these pools certainly stand out: They are constructed from concrete, which has been painted white, and transparent panes, which enable an unimpeded view into the pool. The whole construction appears delicate, thanks to the curved shape of the pools. “To realize this design idea, all the panes had to be slightly curved. This factor, combined with the overall length of the two levels, made this project our greatest challenge to date,” says Mark Hoentjen, Managing Director of Underwater Windows.
He and his colleagues spent around seven weeks in Albir to complete the project. The pool specialists used 45 differently-sized PLEXIGLAS® GS blocks in aquarium quality to build the surrounding surfaces with a total area of 210 m² which give the s-shaped pools their unique appearance.
Impressive material properties
"PLEXIGLAS® is significantly more durable than glass. It also does not yellow and retains its unparalleled optical clarity."
- Mark Hoentjen
Managing Director at Underwater Windows
The slightly curved and 90 mm-thick PLEXIGLAS® elements were assembled and invisibly joined together in Spain. This process usually takes place at the manufacturing facility of Underwater Windows in the Netherlands, however, when the final dimensions are too large for the product to be transported by truck, the elements are glued together on site.
Hoentjen and his team have been working with PLEXIGLAS® for eight years now, with the excellent material quality deeply impressing the pool specialists. The brand acrylic glass is absolutely colorless, has significantly greater durability than glass and does not distort the view. An additional factor is the 30-year guarantee against yellowing, which is particularly important when constructing swimming pools. The brand acrylic glass has UV protection inherent to the material and thus only displays minimal yellowing values, which are invisible to the human eye, even after three decades. PLEXIGLAS® can also be shaped without losing any of its robustness, allowing the sheets used in the construction of the s-shaped pools in Albir to easily withstand the water pressure. A factor that should not be underestimated when swimming high above the ground.
See the s-shaped pools close up
Source: YouTube/Underwater Windows
