London’s New ‘Sky Pool’ Let’s You Live Out Your Flying Fish Fantasies
If you’ve got a fear of heights, a fear of water, or a fear of swimming while suspended in a tank above thousands of people – then you’ll probably want to look away now. A new London development on the south bank of the Thames is getting its very own “sky pool” – a 10 storey-high glass pool suspended between two apartment blocks.
The pool will be 25 metres by 5 metres (and 3 metres deep), and the glass protecting swimmers will be a gulp-inducing 20 cm (7.9 inches) thick (just a bit thicker than those tiny rulers everyone had in junior school, in other words).
The world-first feature will act as a sort of bridge linking two apartment buildings in the Embassy Gardens development, allowing residents to casually doggy paddle across to visit their neighbours. Two thousand homes will have access to the pool.
The reaction on social media has been a bit of a mixed bag so far. Some thought the pool sounded impressive…
If I don’t get to swim in this glass-bottomed pool once in my life, I’m going to be so mad.
http://t.co/P1vFQdXBpM pic.twitter.com/u9SvpsSoOS
— Benjamin Law (@mrbenjaminlaw) August 20, 2015
I want a sky pool! Come on #islingtoncouncil it’s only fair https://t.co/mcAJSZPW3V
— Lucy Luskini (@LucyLuskini) August 20, 2015
…while others were less keen…
“Are u rich? Want 2 look down on people while u swim? Try our new flats w/ built in fucking ridiculous pool!”
http://t.co/X2uxNKaxE9 …
— OnlyAnAtheist (@Onlyanatheist1) August 19, 2015
…and a lot of people sounded torn.
This London ‘sky pool’ is utterly ridiculous but I am kinda jealous http://t.co/IDehcatwij
— Heather (@heathermagazine) August 19, 2015
This sky pool is seriously cool. But seriously fkkkn scary. http://t.co/qZAIIHHh7Q
— Grace Cabell (@Grace_e_c) August 19, 2015
Whether you love it or loathe it, though, it’s impossible to deny that the idea is pretty cool.
“My vision for the Sky Pool stemmed from a desire to push the boundaries in the capability of construction and engineering. I wanted to do something that had never been done before,” said Ballymore Group CEO Sean Mulryan, who had the idea for the pool. “The Sky Pool’s transparent structure is the result of significant advancements in technologies over the last decade. The experience of the pool will be truly unique; it will feel like floating through the air in central London.”
The first phase of homes, which went on the market in 2012, is fully sold out, but the second phase is on its way (people can currently register their interest and the apartments go on sale in September). Prices start at £602,000 ($940,279).