Ten years ago when I was often asked about what lavish or extravagant item would I like to have in my own home (if I could actually afford it, or if it was given to me cost-free), I never actually gave a concrete answer. There would always be some default reply of a car, a home entertainment system, or an enormous four-poster bed made of ironwood. Now, I realize that, even with all of those things combined, nothing compares to what I could answer that question with now: an infinity swimming pool.
Frameless sliding glass doors, or negative edge pools, are a recent (not even thirty years back) innovation in ostentatious installments in homes, hotels, resorts, and even top-rate apartment lofts.
What ARE These Things, Anyway?
The concept of these kinds of pools is so simple it almost sounds effortless: instead of having marble or high grade plastic as the base and/or walls of the pool, architectural glass walls and blocks with transparent finishes will complete the creation. Even before the whole pool is filled with water, the effect is very daunting and almost impossible to look at for a long time…
When placed on the ground, the pool seems to be a solid block of living water, flowing to an invisible catch basin a few feet beneath the surface. Most owners would balk at the thought of it being placed where there’s a lot of foot traffic and dirt, so besides having a very powerful filter to remove most foreign objects in the pool (or a very thorough pool boy to keep track of the pool’s cleanliness). I thought of something out of the ordinary, and had the negative edge pool placed in an enclosed swimming pool area. No grass, no dust, just a beautiful swimming pool giving the amazing illusion of a liquefied floor.
High in the Sky
Now, if the Construction Company and engineer refuse to do it on the grounds that I’m crazy, then I’ll go for the typical choice and place it above ground. Placed on the extreme edge of the second or higher floors in a building, the glass walls REALLY take their effect.
The walls now offer a clear, translucent view of the vast expanse, making the swimmers feel like they’re completely submerged in a floating body of water. Better yet, for those with an overactive imagination (like myself), the glass makes it seem like there was no border, and you could go swimming in one direction indefinitely.
It’s also a lovely way to relax and enjoy the view, if meditating on an invisible ledge sound relaxing to you. The feeling of suspension is absolute, and only by touching the hard, shatterproof glass wall are you assured that you’re not going to fall off the ledge by accident!
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