Halfway up Mount Hale'aka 'la, a dormant volcano on the island of Maui, are the rolling green hills known as Ulu'pala'kua'. The view encompasses the entire west side of Maui and the islands beyond, and pool designer L. E. Turnbull of Maui Waterscapes in Kahului, Maui, Hawaii, immediately knew a large vanishing-edge pool had to be part of the plan.
The clients requested a simple yet elegant design that would reflect their artistic tastes and complement their contemporary-Asian home. They asked for a 3-to-5-foot-deep pool with a shallow area for the grandchildren and they wanted to incorporate two existing bronze sculptures into the design.
The stone was kept to a minimum on the outer edges of the pool, so as not to distract from the view. Four large steppingstones seem to float on water that appears much deeper than its 8 inches thanks to black matte tile on the floor of the pool. Access to the pool is from both ends, off of the stepping-stones onto wide steps.
The homeowners' sculptures adorn the raised spa and the kids' pool. Slip-resistant iridescent black matte glass tile along with the black plaster finish help create the mirror effect and add to the reflective quality of the pool surface.
From the spa and kids' pool, the water overflows to the main pool and then over a long, three-sided vanishing edge and is then re-circulated through the equipment room hidden in a bunker 30 feet away.
The pool first catches visitors' attention at the front entrance to the home. Continuing through the house, visitors notice an expanding view and at poolside the full effect becomes visible. The project is a joy to the owners and a source of pride for all who worked on it.
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