March 2012 AQUA Choice Winner

The natatorium exterior is stone, stucco, and wood shingles, deftly applied to make the extension seem a natural outcropping of the existing home

The technical achievement of this AQUA Choice winner inspired the judges, all accomplished builders in their own right, who spoke of the challenges of building a spectacular pool in a tight space on a steep slope at a rather impressive height above grade.

The pictures provide the essence of the project: a pure modern-design vessel complementing a 7,000-square-foot, all-new-construction home in the Hollywood Hills, with a warren of fat concrete columns holding all that water (50 tons in the pool alone) and concrete aloft. The details are best explained by designer Angie Thornbury, of Angie Thornbury Homes.

"The original pool was set back next to the house rendering it impractical and useless. By taking advantage of the depth of the site with major structural considerations (29 caissons!) it was possible to site the pool to take advantage of the all-day sun in the south and the panoramic view from downtown to the Pacific Ocean. Rails were eliminated because the pool is 5 feet deep so there is no obstruction of the spectacular view.

"The hardest part was to fit the pool into the three-story structure to make it flow with the deck, yet keep it separate from the actual living quarters of the lower two floors of the house. Platforms were built 30 feet up in the air and foam separation was placed between the pool and house wall, which had to be waterproofed and stuccoed."

Supporting the tremendous weight of the pool are six 40-foot columns. This concrete structure literally stands in the air independent of the equipment room under the skydeck, which is supported by its own dedicated steel structure. A special waterproofed trough with its own drainage system was created to accommodate the green lawn.

All these elements combine to offer the residents of this Hollywood home an enticing aquatic relaxation area with an unusually breathtaking view of Los Angeles at their feet.

"The spectacular location of the pool floating at the edge of a skydeck high above the Los Angeles basin speaks for itself," Thornbury says. "It's deceptively simple yet spectacular — it's got that 'Wow' factor."

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