Reading Under a Rooftop Pool

Img 0030 Headshot
1 G 123 Aq Waterfront Library 34 Lg
Photography: Jin Weiqi, He Wei, Huizhou Shuangyue Bay Real Estate Investment and Development Co., Ltd.

1 J 123 Aq Waterfront Library 40 Lg

On the rooftop of a public library in China, adventurous visitors can step out into a unique and unexpected water feature.

A bowl-shaped pool crowns the aptly named Water Drop Library, created by 3andwich Design / He Wei Studio. Guests can follow a hidden path to reach the pool, where a set of stepping stones stretches out across the surface of the water.

"People can see the sea level in the distance by glancing out over the pool," the studio says. "Water, sky and the sea are integrated here and now."

1 H 123 Aq Waterfront Library 36 Lg

Tucked within the Guangdong Province, the entire structure was integrated into a hillside. "At the top of the hill, the white corridor and long wall become artifacts in the natural landscape," the studio says. "The pure geometric shapes attract the attention of users and lead people to the direction of the roof and the sea."

The process of entering the building represents "a journey to understand nature and oneself." To enter, visitors must walk down a corridor and "dive in" under the pool. Once inside, they're met with a spectacular reading space, surrounded by nearly 270 degrees of floor-toceiling glass. Bookshelves are arranged in a ring along the inner wall, while seats and small tables line the outer glass wall, offering grand views of the landscape.

1 I 123 Aq Waterfront Library 38 Lg

Additionally, the architects included an opening in the ceiling that captures light through the rooftop pool. "Through [a color device], the sunlight is rendered as colored light, which is scattered into the space in a blurred form," the studio says.


Photography: Jin Weiqi, He Wei, Huizhou

Shuangyue Bay Real Estate

Investment and Development Co., Ltd.

This article first appeared in the January 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.

Page 1 of 109
Next Page
Content Library
Dig through our best stories from the magazine, all sorted by category for easy surfing.
Read More
Content Library
Buyer's Guide
Find manufacturers and suppliers in the most extensive searchable database in the industry.
Learn More
Buyer's Guide