Offering privacy and picturesque sky views, a rooftop pool has long been synonymous with luxurious, resort-style living. This stunning Cronulla rooftop pool from the team at Lap of Luxury Pools is certainly no exception, with views that captivate and inspire.
Here, Bethany Hayes speaks with director of lap of luxury pools, andrew good, about the collaborative creation process behind this rooftop delight, as well as the design, safety, and load-bearing factors to consider when building a pool at soaring heights.
Teamwork makes the dream work
Utilising a team approach, Lap of Luxury Pools worked alongside Eddie Turk from Turkcon Constructions to develop the idea for this Cronulla pool – something unique, with a custom-glass wall and Spanish mosaic glass. With an innovative idea in hand, and a structurally sound, luxury apartment in the heart of Sydney ready to play home to a rooftop pool, things kicked off. The team engaged with glass supply and installation professionals from Creative Frameless Solutions and engineers from Wirrawonga Consulting to help navigate the use of engineered structural glass at impressive heights.
“Coopers Cranes were used to lift the panels with precision four stories up,” Good says. With the largest piece of the pool’s quad-laminated glass weighing over 1.7 tonnes, Good believes it was extremely important to ensure the structural rebates and supports were precise. “From a structural perspective … we only had one shot to get it right,” he confirms.
Good says Lap of Luxury Pools thrives off the challenge that large scale-projects offer. The team enjoys the structural side of construction and overcoming the complexity of vast builds, while working with other industry professionals to achieve incredible results. “If you are considering taking on a complex project, it is important that you engage with a reputable builder that has a proven track record in being able to deliver,” Good says. “Timing is critical in completing stages to make sure that the project runs smoothly, and no key elements are overlooked during the construction process.”
Conversation is another crucial aspect of construction according to Good, who suggests word-of-mouth research before undertaking the more complex projects. “It is important to speak with the builder’s past clients to understand what is involved in finishing complex projects, and get an appreciation for what is involved,” he offers. Good also suggests that hiring the right people for the job can substantially eliminate any unnecessary project challenges, from concept right through to completion. “When you bring together the right people with the right expertise, there are generally no challenges,” Good says.
An extraordinary choice
Located on a sunny apartment terrace, fit for entertaining guests with alfresco dining options and an elegant glass wall, it’s not every day you see a rooftop pool as impressive as this Cronulla build! However, according to Good, requests for this type of pool are certainly rising. “I’d say that suspended and rooftop pools are definitely growing in popularity as architects put awe-inspiring visions into reality for their clients.” In the current climate, Lap of Luxury Pools predominantly produce suspended or second-level pools, as well as a number of pools tied into first-floor alfresco living areas. Good attributes the changing pool design preferences to new visions from architects. “Architects are now requiring pools to be incorporated within a sophisticated home,” he says. “Gone are the days where pools are disjointed from homes.”
If you’re looking to adapt an existing abode to host a rooftop pool, the key is to investigate with the experts. While Good recommends a rooftop pool be incorporated into the overall house plan design, with thorough structural investigation into the building’s weight-bearing capabilities, there is certainly room for possibility. “In most instances, the client has already engaged architects and have multi-story house designs, with pools incorporated on one of the levels,” Good says. “It will all depend on the engineering requirements and an investigation into the structure of the building. Then there is building movement considerations, and finally the logistics of building a pool.”
With a rooftop pool undoubtedly adding many tonnes of load, it’s aptly not a decision to be taken lightly. “Any size or shape is possible to work with the space given,” Good says. “My recommendation is to engage a pool company to work with an architect and engineer to assess the feasibility of adding a rooftop pool to an existing dwelling.”
Creating a rooftop pool is no simple task – even for professionals. But the benefits are simply undeniable: with scenic views stretching for miles, an increased sense of privacy and the ability to add a unique point of difference to a property, for Lap of Luxury Pool’s stellar apartment pool, collaboration was key.
The sky is your limit when styling a rooftop pool! With many people opting to colour match their pools, incorporate in-built bench seating to the pool, or like this build, have a custom glass wall to offer an essence of opulence and fully allow one to revel in the stunning sky views. Pool tile wise, Good says the premium stone look from the Ezarri Zen range is steadily gaining popularity. “I’m certainly going to be considering the use of Ezarri Zen Stone Dolerite in my pool, when I get the chance to complete my own pool renovation,” Good says. “The balanced pool finished colours of this range look absolutely amazing.”
When estimating a timeline to complete a rooftop pool build, Good suggests the entire pool construction process could be approximately six months – but is generally part of a 12 month to two-year construction process, particularly as projects such as suspended and rooftop pools are often large-scale. While this may seem like a fair chunk of time, visually, the rewards speak for themselves! “The feedback you receive is awesome, and something to be proud of,” Good says. “Just being able to stand back at the end of the project and see the initial plans come to life is probably the most rewarding.”
