Pool design & landscape architecture

Swimming pool design from the point of view of landscape architecture

The design of the swimming pool is not a recent innovation, on the contrary, it seems to have existed since ancient times under the name of bath. The Romans enjoyed their baths in the baths from the second century BC. However, the spread of swimming pools to the wider public took place many years later, with the inclusion of swimming competitions for the first time in the Olympic Games in 1896. In the past, swimming pools were associated with luxury and wealth and were considered inaccessible. Today, however, their clearly lower price and their undeniable contribution to maintaining the good physical and mental condition of the people who use them have made swimming pools an integral part of the basic equipment of homes. The use of new technological materials, new construction systems and new design trends have given impetus to the ever-growing swimming pool market.

The swimming pool is now an integral part of the surroundings of every hotel and the garden of the house. It is considered to extend the functionality of the surrounding space, which is why the design should be done by a specialist landscape architect, so that it can fit into the landscape of the garden and harmonize with the architecture of the house. The swimming pool and the surrounding area of the house, hotel, etc. are one unified aesthetic whole.
The landscape architect must design the pool in detail and always in collaboration with the end users, so that the final construction can meet their functional needs and ultimately integrate aesthetically harmoniously into the space.

The design of the swimming pool and its integration into the space

The primary consideration during the pool design stage is determining its functionality. The functional requirements and the needs of the users of the space where the pool is to be integrated must be taken into account in the design of its morphology.

A. Form - pool shape
The final architectural form is the work of the landscape architect, who must shape and 'button' the pool with the building and the surrounding area and additionally integrate it into the whole of this area. In addition, it is essential that its design covers the functional needs of the users of the space.
Swimming pools are divided into two categories according to their shape.
The first category includes constructions with various geometric shapes, such as rectangle, circle, octagon, L-shaped, T-shaped and cross. The rectangular layout as well as the L-shaped layout are recommended when the pool is to be used for swimming competitions.
The second category refers to swimming pools, in which the configuration of their shape is more free and malleable. Freeform pools practically make it difficult to freestyle swimming, however, give the impression of a natural surface. The shapes in the swimming pools are varied and cover every requirement.

Prefab pool – Concrete pool

They exist in commerce prefabricated swimming pools, reinforced concrete pools and gunite beton pools. In the first category, constructions of specific dimensions and shapes are mentioned, while in the second and third, constructions that are adapted each time to the requirements of the users of the space and include all possible formations. The depth of the structures can be constant or variable with various slopes.

Placing a swimming pool

Placing the pool in relation to the building of the area

1. When the swimming pool is taken as a place of isolation and relaxation, it is placed in a remote place from the house so that it can function fragmentarily from its daily stressful functions.
2. In case it is going to function as a recreation area for small children, where they can swim and play safely, it is recommended to place it in an area that allows direct visual contact from the building.
3. Also in cases where it is to function as a gathering and recreation area, it is placed in a central part of the garden.
4. Finally, when the pool is used to hold swimming competitions, it is necessary to include it in a central position of the area. In this case, a detailed design of bleachers or seating areas must be done in the pool environment.

Location of the pool in terms of ground level

The pool can be installed either in-ground or outside at a higher level. In the first case, the soil that will be removed from the excavation of the pool can be used to form small hills in the surrounding area or even to smooth the slope on a steep plot. In the second case, when the pool is higher than the ground level, then its walls can be used as sitting areas. In areas with a large slope, where no terraces have been built, the pool can be integrated into any part of the space and unify the two areas with different heights. One side of the pool located at a higher level is integrated into the ground, while the other side oriented towards the lower level protrudes from it.