Site location
The site will have a large bearing on design. For instance, a basement indoor pool will have a much different feel than an outdoor project in cottage country. Local bylaws and building codes will provide the setbacks and allowances for intended use. Site location in proximity to conservation land and waterways may have a fairly significant number of restricted design elements (e.g., setbacks, elevations, equipment location, material choice, water discharge, drainage, landscape materials, and most importantly, construction restrictions).
North facing yards will have a much different layout than a full sun south-facing property. Every project is diverse and warrants a different design and approach. Site lines, prevailing winds, soil conditions, groundwater, neighbours, and critically, existing trees will also have a major impact on project design.
Shape
It is rare when the property, home’s architecture, and surrounding local environment will dictate an organic free-form shape. Humpback kidney and lagoon forms have dominated the industry for decades, but there has been a pronounced shift back to crisp, linear pool designs.
Classic architecture by the Romans, Turkish, and Indian empires all favour clean linear shapes, while today, architects rarely include curved walls in their designs. From a construction point of view, it is far more difficult to install an all-linear design, than a freeform layout. The reason being, slight variances in construction and layout can be easily spotted in a linear design; therefore, the various site lines in these backyards need to be perfect. Many pool designs also successfully combine crisp linear elements with some organic free-form features.
In the end, however, the pool shape, elevation, and location will be guided by a combination of the site location, intended use, and architectural style.
Grade and elevations
Large grade variances in a backyard allow for interesting pool installations; however, these projects can be difficult when it comes to staying on budget. Retaining walls, fully engineered pools, cantilevered decks, and challenges with run off and slope retention will add significant costs.
Intelligent designs will incorporate the terrain into the final plan to balance esthetics with budgetary constraints. For example, the pool structure can be used as a retaining wall, or a raised wall to save on redundant structural costs. Further, keeping the deck away from a descending slope will save on construction costs and potential railings, while using the pool as the edge of the project will not only serve as a beautiful design element, but also provide cost savings.
As a general rule, construction costs will be significantly higher for properties with large changes in grades as opposed to those with a flat terrain. In this case, careful placement of the pool and retaining walls can result in significant cost savings for the client. Further, grades and elevation changes can be used to the designer’s advantage by incorporating swim-up bars, sunken lounges, and outdoor rooms into the project.
Depth
Water depth is often the source of great debate in pool design. Traditional vinyl pools typically had a very small 1-m (3-ft) deep shallow end and a long slope which led to a tiny 2.1-m (7-ft) deep end. This type of pool is not very practical for lounging, playing, or swimming.
Industry design trends tend to favour shallow or sport pools. These pools are less costly to construct and maintain, and the shallow depth layout can provide a lot of feature benefits for the consumer. Where budget and space permit, a combination of a deep area with either a shallow swim lane or a swim jet allow the pool to be used for a number of activities.
Diving boards and slides are becoming a rarity because of liability constrains, but jumping walls, platforms, or rocks still remain popular. In some cases, centre-deep pools are also a suitable design option, as the client can safely jump from the end of the pool towards deeper water. These pools allow for a broad spectrum of uses, ranging from lap swimming to sports and lounging activities.
