The challenge of a pool in the sky

Think about installing a pool 51 stories above the ground in the heart of Miami, and you likely imagine a crane (or two) being involved. However, thanks to Myrtha Pools’ modular system, all the components of the pool were custom-designed and easily transported via  lift / elevator and could be caried through a door or a window. Unlike concrete pools and welded steel pools that require large cranes, with our modular solution the budget savings are considerable.

In any complex building project, timing the phases of construction is a critical factor. This is particularly true in high-altitude pool projects. What planning / building teams look for is a system that offers both maximum flexibility and minimum time to install.

The answer is Myrtha Pools and its exclusive technology that makes it possible to create a seamless, strong, self-supporting structure without the need for concrete to be cast on site. In addition, the ability to design and prefabricate accessories such as ladders, benches and zero entry, make the installation of these elements at least five times faster than with traditional construction methods. It is thanks to the modular system and reduced timeframe that a pool’s installation can be scheduled at almost any point in the project plan, even in the final phase of a construction.

This was the case with the main pool of the SLS Brickell Hotel & Residences in Miami, a project that was recognized by the Architecture Master Prize 2020.

Two limiting factors for a sky-high pool are the tank’s weight and the volume of the structure. With traditional methods, building a swimming pool on a roof or terrace involves the construction of a heavy, bulky, supporting structure, to which an additional internal concrete structure is added to give shape to the pool’s perimeter walls and floor. These layers of structure significantly increase the weight and volume of the project, and complicate both design and planning. This is particularly the case in an existing building to which a suspended pool is to be added. The Myrtha system, on the other hand, thanks to its self-supporting, lightweight stainless steel structure anchored directly to the floor slab, is a significantly lighter and less bulky / space-stealing solution. It is thanks to these economies of weight and volume that our modular panel technology makes it possible to install a pool even on a 50-m bridge traversing the space between two skyscrapers 20 stories off the ground, as in the case of the project ITC Colombo in Sri Lanka. Myrtha technology also integrates perfectly with transparent wall tanks, as in the splendid sky bridge pool at Australia’s Hawthorn Park.