Hal Architects-designed Sky Pool opens in London's Embassy Gardens
A swimming pool suspended 35m (115ft) above the ground and forming a bridge between two buildings has opened as part of a residential project in Nine Elms, south-west London, UK.
Designed by HAL Architects, the 25m Sky Pool spans two buildings at the Embassy Gardens development, located opposite the new US Embassy.
The pool has transparent walls and floor, which allows passersby to observe the swimmers – and those in the pool to see the ground.
The pool is constructed in clear acrylic. The sidewalls of the pool are 180mm thick and 3.2metres deep. Its base is 360mm thick and the whole pool weighs 50 tonnes and contains a total of 150tonnes of water, 100tonnes of which is carried by the acrylic ‘bridge’.
Because of its size, Sky Pool has been constructed in separate sections with transparent bonded joints cleverly designed to maximise the bond area and avoid areas of high stress.
HAL Architects describes Sky Pool as a "world-first".
"Sky Pool is made of crystal-clear acrylic and is located 10 storeys up, between two apartment buildings," the architects said.
"There is nothing else like it."
Specialist pool and spa consultant Devin Consulting was responsible for the water engineering on the project while wet area specialist Barr + Wray designed, supplied and installed the filtration system for the unique pool.
The inspiration for the design – for which Hal partnered with Eckersley O'Callaghan (Structural Engineering) and Reynolds Polymers (Fabrication) – came partly from the Barton aqueduct, a celebrated piece of Victorian engineering which is credited with being the first navigable aqueduct to be built in England.
According to Eckersley O'Callaghan, the team faced "significant engineering challenges" which needed to be addressed in developing the structural solution for the pool.
"The pool structure has a clear span of 15m between the buildings," Eckersley O'Callaghan said.
"The sidewalls form deep beams capable of spanning this distance whilst carrying the weight of the water, as well as resisting the hydrostatic water pressure on the sides and the wind loads.
"The two buildings are subject to normal movements, which are inherent to buildings of this scale including wind sway and foundation settlement.
"The pool structure deals with these movements by avoiding rigid connection at both ends; it slides on bridge bearings whilst maintaining water tightness.
"An additional 5m length of pool sits over the buildings at each end to make a total length of 25m.
"These parts are constructed in stainless steel and tied together across the acrylic by two high strength, spring-tensioned, stainless steel rods 38mm in diameter which sit beneath the pool."
Access to the pool is restricted to residents of Embassy Gardens and their guests.
As well as the pool itself, the project includes two "rooftop experiences", called the Orangery and Sky Deckrest, where residents can relax and socialise.
The Embassy Gardens project was developed by EcoWorld Ballymore.
To find out more about Sky Pool, click here.
HAL Architects Eckersley O'Callaghan Embassy gardens Sky Pool Barr + Wray Devin ConsultingHow to build a transparent floating sky pool 10-storeys above the ground
Glass-bottomed skypool suspended over void wins design contest for Paris
Arup’s glass sky pool will be suspended ten storeys up


Juneteenth Museum by Bjarke Ingels Group has been designed to inspire spiritual uplift

BIG and HOK's timber concept wins Zurich Airport competition

Christoph Ingenhoven reveals Lanserhof Sylt, featuring the largest thatched roof in Europe

BIG's designs Prague concert hall to be vibrant centre of life

Mather & Co-designed Gretna Green Experience opens to the public

Project to save last major bellfoundry which cast bells for St Paul's and Washington National Cathedral

Perkins & Will reveals designs for net-zero sports and cultural centre in Toronto

World’s first living waterslides announced for Therme Manchester

Heatherwick reveals Volcano-inspired opera house designs for Hainan

Natural history museum planned for Abu Dhabi

Controversial London music venue, MSG Sphere, gets full planning permission

Clifford's Tower opens to the public after £5m redevelopment

Clifford's Tower opens to the public after £5m redevelopment

Glasgow's iconic Burrell Collection reopens after five-year, £68.5m revamp

SB Architects delivers Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Costa Rica with tree-house spa and private residences

Ole Scheeren designs vertical jungle resort complex in China

Designer Brian d’Souza launches Swell to create evocative soundscapes for physical environments

Basalt Architects create geothermal Forest Lagoon in the wilds of Iceland

Hot Pickle design £73m Guinness visitor attraction for Diageo in London

Amsterdam's new digital art centre Fabrique des Lumières will use tech to bring art alive

Pharrell Williams to launch tropical Bahamian beach resort

Banyan Tree curating solar-powered wellness retreat on private Mozambican island

Dubai Expo hits 10 million visits

Foster + Partners designs Dorchester Collection's first hotel in Middle East

Neil Jacobs reveals Six Senses Places concept for major cities

Orient Express returns to Italy after 46 years with six trains designed by Dimorestudio and new Rome hotel

400-year-old mineral spring will power Preidlhof’s €2m medicinal bath experience

Universal Beijing Resort reveals expansion plans for second phase

Pop-up stadium built with shipping containers opens ahead of 2022 World Cup

Playfulness will inspire Serenbe’s new wellness community, Spela
From parks designed to mitigate the effects of flooding to warming huts for one of the world’s coldest cities, these projects have been designed for increasingly extreme climates