2015 International Awards of Excellence
Arrow Master Pools
Center Valley, Pennsylvania
610.797.0180
Arrow Master Pools
Category
Installations in the U.S. & Canada > Residential Concrete Pools > Natural Setting
Description
Question #1:Challenging site conditions, the desired project orientation and the clients desires and expectations created unusual workmanship challenges: 1. As the pool was oriented length wise down hill, 48 linear feet of deep end pool wall had to be out of grade approximately 4 feet. This required constructing forms to exacting measurements for the 16" thick, deep end wall which included a below grade 5" wide haunch. The haunch provided a foundation and support for the natural stone veneer on the exposed pool wall. 2. Further complicating the task was the incorporation of one of the client’s required design elements. The client wanted water from the pool 4 feet above to flow beneath the pool coping on both walls of the deep end corner and to cascade into the spa 4 feet below. So the design and construction of the “out of grade” forms also required the precise placement of niche for the installation of a custom designed (designed by us) and locally manufactured stainless steel device and it’s plumbing. This device created the illusion of water overflowing from the pool above into the spa below but was actually spa water being re-circulated through the stainless steel device. The client concept was simply that it would be pool water that would overflow into the spa. After some lengthy discussion and visual aides they realized that cooler pool water was not what they really wanted falling into their heated spa which in reality would have prevented the spa from being able to be heated to the desired temperature. Aside from the heated water issue, we pointed out that getting the pool water would fall into the spa below back into the pool above would not be a simple and inexpensive re-circulation issue. A bit of education in hydraulics got things back on track. Because of the elevation difference between the pool and spa we opted for each to have there own equipment with the water feature with it’s own pump. And because this is a second home both are fully automated including chlorine generation and pH, both for monitoring and control. 3. To keep the site as undisturbed in appearance as possible they wanted no deck and they did not want the pool to look like it had an automatic cover which created an issue for dealing with the concrete auto cover box. They just wanted only 18" coping around the entire pool and that is what they got with the use of 24" long masonry trays to support the irregular natural stone coping. The stone was laid across the trays without cutting, then cut when the positions of the stone where established to create the same appearance as presented by the 18" wide coping installed around the rest of the pool. The cover over the motor end of the cover box that extends beyond the 18" coping is a masonry tray on which grass can be planted and, with some perseverance, maintained. Immediately behind the 18" stone coping on the masonry trays, we installed and caulked 2" aluminum “L” stock to allow dirt to be placed up to the back to the masonry trays and for grass to be planted over the 12" thick concrete back wall of the auto cover box. The aluminum “L” stock prevents soil from getting into the cover box. Yes this was an unusual project requiring creativity and exacting workmanship. The clients love the result.
Question #2:
The pool is located 152 feet from the home. Orienting the pool lengthwise down the slope, while not ideal from a pool construction stand point, does provide a beautiful side view of a 50 foot long pool and the spa as well as an excellent view of the unique water feature. If the pool had been oriented across the slope the view would be limited to just 20 feet of the pool width. The choice of natural stone laid with no visible mortar joints gives the illusion of the of dry stacked stone both on the retaining walls and on the exposed pool walls. And with a minium impact on the natural slope through the use of retaining walls to retain cuts in the natural slope rather than using fill to build up level areas and by eliminating any deck, the view of the pool, spa and water feature from the raised wood deck attached to the home could no be more aesthetically pleasing.
Winner Status
- Bronze
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