This eye-catching project began when the customer unveiled his aspiration to have a swimming pool in his apartment, not outside of it. This desire was welcomed and taken on by Fernanda Marques, a Brazilian architect. She decided to place the pool directly in the living room so that the apartment owner could enjoy it for both leisure and as a work of art. She wanted the pool to be an element of tension that was particularly strong and present, or in other words, a bold focal point of the apartment space.
"I designed the apartment for a couple with no children," says Fernanda. "The owner works in the financial market and is a keen art collector. He owns works by artists I greatly admire, such as Ernesto Neto, Edgard de Souza, Manoel Rio Branco, Zerbini and Tunga. The works speak directly to the issue of space — hence the importance of their placement in the project."The apartment is split between two floors. On the first floor, there is a living room, dining room and kitchen; on the second floor, there are bedrooms, a fitness room, an office and access to the swimming pool. A mezzanine, as well as the glass swimming pool, helps to link the two floors.
The main goal of designing the space was to display the client's works of art both harmoniously and fluidly, all while sticking to a minimalistic theme to leave room for the collection's future growth. Keeping all this in mind, Fernanada Marques was an immediate choice for the owner based on her experience from past architectural projects.
"I didn't want the furniture to overwhelm the works of art, but rather to serve as support and counterpoint to them," says Fernanda. "This is the reason behind the preponderance of Brazilian designers and light colors."
Apart from the furniture, the apartment lighting was also carefully crafted to further enhance the collection. A gallery was created on the first floor, where a single track-lighting rail houses several pieces, with room for more as the owner's collection continues to grow. At the far end of the main level, the water from the pool looks crystallized and reigns absolute.
"Building the pool structure was the most challenging aspect in the project," says Fernanda. "To achieve the final result, very thick, imported glass was used and specialized labor was required to install it. Looking back, I think it was well worth it. Neither the owners nor I can imagine the apartment without it. To a certain extent, I think I ended up providing the home with another work of art."
This article first appeared in the May 2023 issue of AQUA Magazine — the top resource for retailers, builders and service pros in the pool and spa industry. Subscriptions to the print magazine are free to all industry professionals. Click here to subscribe.
