Capturing incredible views over the Brisbane River and city precinct, this modern pool — the centrepiece of a contemporary entertaining space — is as stunning as it is functional
Although dealing with a challenging site, Malibu Pools & Landscapes’ managing architect, Sean Lynch, was more than equal to the task. To begin with, some significant retaining walls were required to create the top pool deck area.
Explains Sean: “The use of the pool shell and walls created a space that otherwise was an unusable area of the home. Using the principles of smart space design, we were able to create real estate in mid air that highlighted the view from the pool deck while warming the pool and sun deck.”
Water wise technology was used with fresh water systems connected to the home’s storm water and holding tanks. The water saved with this system keeps the native gardens in bloom all year round. “This site is totally water smart and energy efficient,” says Sean, “which allows the clients to travel without the hassle and cost of regular poolmaintenance.”
To allow an unhindered view of the Brisbane city skyline, the pool fencing is of semi-frameless glass. But the view is not the only thing that draws the eye. The stacked limestone shimmer wall is the focal point of the design, adding sound and movement to the elevated entertaining space.
Careful attention was paid to the selection of materials and finishes. For the interior of the pool, Sean opted for Ocean pebble with a blue quartz chip and a waterline of Italian glass tiles. For the coping and entertaining area, he selected large-format Chelmstone pavers. At Malibu Pools, the design process begins with some creative brainstorming. “I encourage clients to bring along all their ideas and dreams and involve themselves in the design,” says Sean. “The initial meetings on site are done with an open attitude of anything is possible.”
This allows Malibu to work on challenging sites such as this one, creating inspiring results that others might have thought impossible.Today, people expect their pool to be unique, designed to complement their surrounding environment and be environmentally sensitive too. That was the brief for this pool, built by Malibu Pools & Landscapes and designed by the company’s in-house designer, Sean Lynch.
With this in mind, Sean created a pool and landscape that extends the house in design and environmental sensitivity. First, the design. The pool is lined with 2-3mm natural ocean stone, creating ice blue water. Himalayan quartz stone was used for the coping, followed by kwila hardwood decking, which complements the contemporary design of the house and creates a flow between the indoor and outdoor areas.
The second criterion was environmental sensitivity, so a complete water catchment system has been incorporated into the pool and landscape design. When it rains, water run-off from the roof of the house tops up the pool water. When the pool is full, the rest of the water fills the storage water tanks, which are then used to maintain the turf areas. Finally, solar heating systems are installed to save on energy use.
Malibu Pools & Landscapes offers many energy-saving, environmentally friendly options built into its designs, and specialised architects who can create environmentally sensitive landscapes in any space.
The end result with this pool is an environment you won’t want to leave. The raised open-plan pool deck creates a perfect entertaining area with stunning city views, while the sheer-descent waterfall creates an eye-catching feature wall and a touch of nature.
