An infinity pool[Also called a negative edge pool, vanishing edge pool, infinity edge pool, zero edge pool, overflow pool or spillover pool.] is a reflecting pool or swimming pool where the water flows over one or more edges, producing a visual effect of water with no boundary. Such pools are often designed so that the edge appears to merge with a larger body of water such as the ocean, or with the sky, and may overlook locations such as natural landscapes and cityscapes. They are often seen at hotels, resorts, estates, and in other luxurious places.
History
It has been claimed that the infinity pool concept originated in
France, and that one of the first vanishing-edge designs was the Stag Fountain at the Palace of Versailles, built in the late 17th century.
In the US, architect
John Lautner has been credited as one of the first to come up with an infinity pool design in the early 1960s. He included infinity pools in various residential projects, and also created the vanishing-edge pool in the 1971
James Bond movie
Diamonds Are Forever.
[ It was introduced to Australia by the architect Douglas Snelling.]
Structure
Infinity pools are expensive and require extensive structural, mechanical, and architectural detailing. Since they are often built in precarious locations, sound structural engineering is paramount. The high cost of these pools often arises from the elaborate foundation systems that anchor them to hillsides.
The "infinite" edge of the pool terminates at a weir that is lower than the required pool water level. A trough or catch basin is constructed below the weir. The water spills into the catch basin, from where it is pumped back into the pool.
File:Mandarin Oriental Sanya Pool Area.jpg|A private infinity pool at the Mandarin Oriental, Sanya on the island of Hainan, China
File:Infinity Edge Pool, Mauritius.JPG|Infinity pool in a resort in Mauritius
File:Movenpick Maldives 2019.jpg|A private infinity pool in a resort in Maldives
See also
Notes
Further reading
External links
