The cooling weather makes me want to go on a holiday to somewhere nice and tropical. But since I can’t be by the sea — working on a escape plan now — I wish I could be working by any of these amazing pools.
1. Shawn House, Vancouver
Shawn House, a private 285sqm residence for a single person, with a bedroom, study, music room and a lap pool located on the roof, along the west side of the house. In fact, the pool acts as the ceiling, filtering the sun light into the central area of the house. I want to live here. Photo: Patkau Architects [clear]
2. Ubud Hanging Gardens Resort, Bali
These are the Ubud Hanging Gardens, a luxury resort set in the middle of a land of volcanoes, forests and rice terraces, in the heart of Bali. The resort and its hanging pool are perched on a gorge, gazing out at a temple on the opposite cliff.[clear]
3. Tangga House, Singapore
The Tangga House is built around a central courtyard, with the borderless pool surrounding two sides of the house and a garden growing on its roof. I don’t know how expensive this is to maintain, but I wish I had the money to pay for it. [clear]
4. Nemo 33, Belgium
This is the deepest pool in the world, the Nemo 33. It goes all the way down to 35m at the bottom of its central water hole. It’s used for scuba-diving courses. I want to use it for an afternoon splash. Photo: Eric Burgers [clear]
5. Marina Bay Sands Skypark, Singapore
This infinity pool is located 55 storeys up the Marina Bay Sands Skypark, right on the top of this insane hotel that cost $US6 billion to build. Photo: Daryl Chia. [clear]
6. Joule Hotel, Dallas
This used to be the Dallas National Bank Building, in Dallas, Texas, until someone bought it and turned it into the Joule Hotel. The people who did the conversion thought it would be cool to extrude a pool out of one of its balconies. I agree. Photo: Diorama Sky.[clear]
7. Main Pool at Seagaia Ocean Dome, Japan
Located in Miyazaki, Japan, the Seagaia Ocean Dome measures 300m by 100m. The dome has the largest retractable roof in the world, which also provides a simulated blue sky even when it’s raining cats and dogs outside. Photo: Max Smith. [clear]
8. 232 West 15th Street, New York
Here’s an 5m pool that is 2.4m deep. It has a bar, fountains and big chairs. Nothing extraordinary until you find out it’s inside a historic townhouse on the border between Chelsea and the Meatpacking District, in Manhattan. In fact, the full-size swimming pool takes over the entire living room. Check out the videos here. The whole house is beautiful, in a crazy kind of way. [clear]
9. Aquarium Pool at the Golden Nugget, Las Vegas
I would rather be diving than in Las Vegas, but if I had to go there, I would spend some time at the aquarium pool at the Golden Nugget hotel, in which you can swim side by side with fish and sharks. Photo: LinksmanJD.[clear]
10. San Alfonso del Mar Seawater Pool, Chile
This is the largest pool in the world, full of seawater. It’s a monstrosity, and it’s amazing that they ever completed it. It’s 1013m long — that’s more than a kilometre! It covers 20 acres and, at its deepest point, it goes down 35 metres. At this point, why don’t you just get your arse into the sea?[clear]