Spectacular Pools – Page 6 – THE COOL POOL by Certikin

Blue Pool Between
Red Walls

Today, we once again turn our attention to 1970s architecture, in particular the work of Ricardo Bofill, an architect whose emblematic designs include the Barcelona airport expansion, the W Barcelona hotel, the remodel of an old cement factory on the outskirts of Barcelona (which he turned into his headquarters, the Taller de Arquitectura), and the design and construction of La Muralla Roja resort from 1968 to 1973.

Located in La Manzanera tourist complex, Bofill introduced a prominent feature along the coastline of the Alicante town of Calpe with his red building. The project embodies a clear reference to the popular architecture of the Arab Mediterranean, in particular the adobe towers of North Africa.

La Muralla Roja is like a fortress on a rocky cliff that towers over a landscape dotted by olive trees, marking a vertical silhouette that reinterprets the Mediterranean tradition of the kasbah. Inside, the labyrinth of this recreated kasbah is based on the shape of a cross, creating a set of interconnected patios that provide access to 50 apartments, which include 60 m² studios, and two- and three-bedroom apartments that measure 80 m² and 120 m², respectively. Hallways, terraces, stairways and courtyards are extensions of the living spaces designed by the Catalan architect.

The residents’ only pool is located on the roof, which offers views of the blue Mediterranean from between red towers. All exterior surfaces of the complex are painted in various shades of red to accentuate the contrast with the landscape and complement its purity. The interior patios and stairs, however, are painted in blue tones (such as sky blue, indigo and violet) to produce a contrast with the sky or, conversely, the optical illusion of blending with it.

The spectacular complex, rated as a “comprehensive protection” building that must conserve all its architectural features, has served as a backdrop in numerous adverts. The most recent was the campaign for the 2016 spring collection of a Spanish couture brand. Gregori Civera’s photos of the complex are also highly recommended.

Hanging Gardens
Ubud en Bali

TripAdvisor and Condé Nast Traveller have both placed this luxurioushotel, located in the heart of the Indonesian jungle, at the top of their World’s Best Swimming Pool 2014 ranking.

The Hanging Gardens Ubud is located in Payangan, a village North of Ubud, and is surrounded by ancient trees, hanging gardens and jungle forest. The hotel owner created the resort concept: a hotel surrounded by nature. The original plot had a very steep slope, a feature that was fully taken advantage of by designing a building from which guests, far from the hustle and bustle of city life, can see the rice plantations of nearby plots and the ancient Pura Penataran Dalem Segara temple through the Ayung river valley. Two cable cars allow guests to easily move around the hotel. The first takes guests from the lobby through four different levels: the bar, private villas, boutique and library. The second cable car runs from the bar to the River Café and spa, overlooking the Ayung River. The resort boasts 38 villas built in contemporary Balinese style on gravity-defying pillars and sloping alang-alang covered roofs.

At the express wishes of the owner the hotel blends harmoniously with the surrounding habitat. Maximum environmental protection and the promotion of local traditions and indigenous style were the objectives from the start.
Over 700 local craftsmen worked on the resort construction, taking advantage of traditional local materials, using existing resources and adapting ancestral ideas from their culture. The owner hired local architectPopo Danes to turn this particular vision into reality.

One of the most attractive features of this resort is its pool, the reason for the Condé Nast Traveller and TripAdvisor distinction: a fine-edged, infinity pool that was designed by an expert architect. This split-level pool is lined with slate and seems to emerge from the dense jungle, with undulating curves that give swimmers the unique feeling of literally swimming above the treetops and valley.

It is without a doubt one of the most photographed pools around the globe.

Pool with a view
of the Great Barrier Reef

Just on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef, between the 74 islands that make up the archipelago of Whitsunday, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, can be found Hamilton Island. Facing the coast of Queensland, Australia, it is the archipelago’s largest inhabited island, has its own commercial airport and is just a short boat trip away from Shute Harbour.

In 2011, Renato D’Ettorre Architects completed a beautiful villa that its owners called Casa Azuris for use as their second home in Hamilton. The building has very simple, clear lines, and seems to disappear into the surroundings. Thanks to the materials chosen – concrete, stone and glass – the house blends in with the Coral Sea, and with the natural rocky landscape with abundant vegetation.

Thanks to its spectacular location, near the edge of the ocean on a raised site with unbeatable views, the building has all of the luxury that its owners asked for and the delicate purity needed to respond in a way that was respectful of the surroundings. Casa Azuris brings together the three most beautiful elements of this dream location: the sun, the sea and fresh air.

Inside, the space was divided into large, open rooms with a clean aspect, as low-maintenance materials were used for the surfaces of the floors and walls. The internal spaces also wrap themselves around the outside to place the water on centre stage. Casa Azuris enjoys impressive views of the ocean and has a spectacular pool inside, in addition to a number of water lily ponds that can be seen from several of the rooms in the house.

Casa Azuris was designed to withstand the sub-tropical climate: high levels of humidity and intense sunlight. Generous overhangs, cross ventilation and the presence of the water afford extremely comfortable interior living spaces, which mostly face the exterior. The white masonry that reflects the sunlight and the stone walls that lock the house into the land lend it the character that makes it stand out on this Australian island. Casa Azuris recently won an award from the Australian Institute of Architects.

At the end of August, the island hosts Hamilton Island Race, an annual sailing regatta in which more than 150 yachts from all over Australia and New Zealand come together to race around the archipelago.

Photograph: Francesca Giovanelli

Wood Used for
the Roof of a Pool

The triangulated cross-laminated roof trusses in wood that can be seen in the picture make up this spectacular space designed by the London-based practice, Duggan Morris Architects, as part of the refurbishment of the swimming pool in the 1980 building, Alfriston School in Buckinghamshire.

The swimming area forms part of a complex made up of gyms, changing rooms and offices. Thanks to its shape, the persistent reverberations common to this type of complex go unheard. The final result blends in with the typical buildings with sloped roofs in the surrounding area. Respect for the local architecture, the efficient use of building materials and the beautiful composition define this intervention, which was the result of a restricted call for tender in 2008.

Each of the triangles, the largest of which is 12 x 6 meters, were built off site and then simply assembled over the pool using bespoke invisible steel plates with plugged bolts, all of which has resulted in this impeccable showpiece. The use of prefabricated modules is one of the most efficient ways of approaching construction projects and, in this case, the end result paid off as this was one of the 30 British architecture and furniture projects shortlisted for the Wood Awards 2014.

A continuous horizontal line one metre in height is the only source of natural light in the building, which means that only the bottom half of the people walking in it can be seen. While swimmers practise their swimming techniques in this pleasant building, they are able to look outside onto a landscape that combines water and trees, which afford sufficient privacy from the surrounding neighbourhood.

This academy school teaches 120 girls with moderate learning difficulties. The pool was designed following an ongoing collaboration between the architects, the school’s management’ team, members of the parents’ association, local town authorities and the pupils.