A once unusable space has transformed into an outdoor entertaining haven.
Urban Escape Landscapes & Pools has created something special for this Sydney family. Having purchased a property on a steep Middle Harbour block, the family wanted to maximise the incredible view and create an outdoor entertaining space with a pool that would be easy to access from the home.
This masterpiece is an inspiring showcase of what can be achieved with clever design and a skilled construction team. The fully-formed suspended pool perches on the precipitous site, creating the perfect family oasis — a pool, spa and entertaining area — on what was a previously unusable space.
Urban Escape designed and constructed the entire project, but the challenges for the company began at the design and approval phase, as the pool needed to be suspended on the steep slope. Achieving the desired result required the design vision of Urban Escape’s principal designer Nick McCarthy and his construction team’s expertise.
Working closely with geotechnical and structural engineers, a concept was presented that covered the homeowners’ brief and provided an aesthetically appealing solution that was structurally sound.
As the site was only accessible by a shared inclinator with weight restrictions, this led to an array of situations that needed both patience and well-considered solutions. Also, the nature of this site required the pool to be built on piers that had to be hand-dug down to bedrock, with all materials carried out via the inclinator, according to its restrictions.
Thanks to a clever design, the pool and deck forge an easy link with the split-level home. “A level entertaining space adjacent to the pool connects to the home via a hardwood timber staircase that doubles as a pool fence,” says Nick. “Glass was used for the spa’s wet-edge as well as a section of the pool wall, with a Croatian limestone feature wall proving a stunning addition to the space. The pool is fully automated with in-floor cleaning, gas heating and an inverter heat pump.
“This site would be classed as a difficult building site in terms of access constraints and the labour involved in the pool construction and landscaping, but at no stage was the build compromised by this,” he adds. “All construction work and every finish was completed to the highest standards, creating a true showcase for both our team and the homeowners.”
Urban Escape takes enormous pride in offering personalised service. To ensure the right level of client focus, the company only works in the Sydney metropolitan area, creates and renovates between 10 and 15 pools per year, and embarks on a lengthy consultation process to achieve a comprehensive brief for each project prior to design work. Urban Escape has also been recognised for its quality workmanship, receiving many awards, both local and national, for its pools and gardens.
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