Nestled in the northernmost province of Italy and nearly 40 feet above the ground stands a cantilevered pool, supported at only one end by larch tree trunks.
Completed in 2016 by NOA architecture studio, the structure projects over 56 feet from the front of the existing Hotel Hubertus and looks out on the majestic Dolomites, a mountain range within the Alps. The pool is supported by stripped trunks of larch trees, native to the northern hemisphere and a signature of the surrounding architecture of the hotel.
"The key challenge in the project was to create a link between the existing building and the new design, in order to keep a uniform and consistent appearance," says NOA's architects.
In order to connect the new extension to the building and its surroundings, the architects used the trunks as a multifunctional element. This links the aesthetics of the old and new parts of the hotel, and creates a more natural unity between the building and the landscape.
The entire pool, however, is staggeringly long, coming in at just over 82 feet long. If that isn't enough to convince you to take a dip — consider the glazed glass panel put into the base of the structure. This takes swimming in the clouds to a new level.
"The position of the pool, which floats 12 meters above the ground, at its extreme edge, gives the swimmer the feeling of floating — weightlessly between heaven and earth," says NOA in a statement to Dezeen.
What's more, a glass front suspends swimmers between the familiarity of the ground and the wonder of the mountains and sky.
Angled at the edge of the pool that stretches toward the Dolomites, a glass wall blends the structure seamlessly with the landscape and creates a hold-your-breath feeling of becoming one with the stunning view; a stopping point between the known and unknown.
Complete with dark gray stone paneling on the inside and outside of the pool, NOA has closed the gap between the real and infinite, giving swimmers the illusion that the pool blends into the mountains both on the horizons of their vision and directly below their feet.
This article first appeared in the September 2024 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.
