Coolest Pools: 15 Enviable Modern Swimming Spots

Interior Courtyard Swimming Pool

modern pool interior courtyard 2

modern pool interior courtyard 1

Charged with restoring a historic home without changing its original facade, Ong + Ong architects got creative with the interior spaces, including a courtyard that’s open to the sky while preserving the utmost in privacy for the residents. Stepping stones go straight across the swimming pool to provide direct access between the living and dining rooms.

Indoor Pool in a Manhattan Townhouse

modern pools manhattan 2

modern pools manhattan

Few people can boast that they have their very own full-sized swimming pool in the middle of Manhattan, but few people own five-story Chelsea townhouses, either. There’s a 30,000-gallon, eight-foot-deep swimming pool with a swing right in the living room. While it would never pass inspection today, it was built in 1975, so it’s been ‘grandfathered in.’

Private Pool at the ‘Bulbous House’

modern pools bulbous house 2

modern pools bulbous house 1

The odd, bulbous S-House by SDeG architects hides another private swimming pool within its all-white interior courtyard. The pool is raised so swimmers can enjoy the view of the landscape.

Daeyang Gallery and House by Steven Holl Architects

modern pools daeyang 1

modern pools daeyang 2

The entry hall of Daeyang Gallery and House by Steven Holl Architects walks right up to a central swimming pool, the surface of the water reaching shoulder-height as it would if you were actually in the water.

Social Pool by Alfredo Barsuglia
modern pool desert 2

modern pool desert 1

modern pool desert 3

It should, by all rights, be a mirage: a shimmering pool of turquoise waters in the middle of the Mojave Desert, surrounded by sand, with no signs or paths to lead to it. ‘Social Pool’ by artist Alfredo Barsuglia is a minimalist sculpture, offering a refreshing dip to anyone who can actually find it. It’s got a sliding cover and fits up to two people at a time.