Peregrine Bryant Architects
We were approached by the architect Peregrine Bryant to build a natural swimming pool for a client who owns a farm in West Berkshire, also used by the client's daughter and grandchildren.
One of the requirements of the pool was that the water temperature should be heated to 82 deg F (28 deg C).
We usually advise heating to 24 deg C and allow the sun to heat the water further. However in this case to guarantee the required temperature we decided to separate the swimming and filtration areas entirely, with a dividing wall between the two areas above the water line.
This allowed the filtration area to be cooled and maintained at 24 deg C, with the pool area at 28 deg C.
With our more natural designs we usually excavate a profiled shape without internal structures. However for this more formal design we built an internal blockwork structure, with insulation panels to retain the heat in the swimming area. Temperature sensors linking to a CPU and modem ensure the temperature and water levels are accurately controlled and monitored.
We also installed a swim jet which allows you to swim against a current.
The client is delighted with the result: “It is absolutely crystal clear, you can really see to the bottom absolutely clearly. There are leaves down there and you can see the exact shape of the leaf.”
“I think it’s very beautiful, I think everyone does, it’s outstanding. It has a slight green tinge which I think is very pretty.”