Design Guide Online Editorial

Design Concept:
Designed by the pros at Aquaterra Outdoor Environments, this Roman/Grecian-inspired pool made with natural stone, specifically travertine and indigenous limestone, with limited natural light and intensive use of stone resembles nothing less than a Roman-Styled bath house. With special features such as an aqueduct transitioning from the spa to pool body, a fire and water feature fountains at each end of the rectilinear pool and a celestial scene that will hold several constellations - all l.e.d. illuminated - and will be fully animated and interpretative is set to become an exotic outdoor oasis.

The Dirt:
With geothermal (15,000 linear feet of thermal coils to be more exact) as the primary utility for air conditioning the new addition’s spaces and carrying the brunt of the pools thermal characteristics, the water to air temperatures will average only a mean 2 degree difference. This will be ever important to keep the dew point controlled and thus the moisture content which, with low U.V (from lack of natural sunlight), mold also. Speaking of low UV, the limited amount of ultra-violet rays which will reach the swimming areas will also prohibit the typical chemical break-downs that exterior pools often experience; and thus, save on one of the most costly aspects of pool maintenance- the chemicals.
Designed with efficiency in mind, the pool and spa bodies are separate although they are seemingly, seamless as the aqueduct spill water out into the center of the pool. This feature was a feature used by the Romans to supply fresh water, and flush out the used, contaminated and sometimes stagnant waters of the bath house. With 33 ducts in the ceiling (both source and return) and 6 # high-density spray foam insulation, the pool room is a sealed micro-climate of its own.

Most of the imported travertine pool coping, and design features such as column fountains, and lions are hand-carved, and specific to only this project. The lions, for example, are mocked from photos of one of the homeowner’s personal lions, purchased through a safari hunt. They were inspired by the Mirage, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The l.e.d. constellations will consist of Pegasus, Ursa Major, Orion, Canus Major, Leo and Taurus. It will be a 3 part animation. The first being the magnitude correct (brightness of the lights) constellations. The second will be the connection of the ‘dots’, or stars in this case, to form the raw constellation shape. Lastly, the actual animals profile will be outlined to show the constellation. These phases will be faded in and out and cycled through, indefinitely, like the real thing.
Stay tuned… we will keep you posted as this stunning and totally customized project continues… you won't want to miss a glimpse at this finished product!
 

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by: Rayven