Tag Archives: swimming pool

These single-use shipping containers repurposed into swimming pools will bring your backyard to life!

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Rathnam’s company, Modpools essentially converts single-use shipping containers into backyard pools that could be installed underground, aboveground, or anywhere between.

Over the course of this pandemic, we’ve seen everything from prefabricated backyard tiny offices to an outdoor mobile bar and kitchen designed for summer BBQs. With so much of our focus on the environment and the potential of our own backyards, designers are getting creative with sustainability and how they construct these at-home retreats. After transforming disused shipping containers into self-contained home offices, Paul Rathnam, seasoned pandemic backyard renovator, returns to shipping containers, only this time he’s turning them into pools.

Dubbing them “the world’s cardboard boxes,” Rathnam felt inspired to build the pools as a means of giving the discarded shipping containers new purpose and new life to backyards. The shipping containers are purchased by Rathnam after goods are shipped to North America from China since they would otherwise just be discarded and not reused for shipping purposes. Depending on your backyard and its building parameters, Modpools can be customized to fit.

No matter where you live, Modpools can be integrated into your home’s environment. Aware that prospective buyers might mistake the recycled shipping containers for emptied garbage dumpsters, Rathnam says, “The uphill battle with containers is that it looks like a dumpster.” Homeowners can rest assured, however, knowing their new backyard pool wasn’t a public dumpster yesterday. Maintaining a clean and dent-free look, Rathnam’s Modpools are formed from single-use containers that only ship goods such as cellphones, computers, and clothes.

Customizable for your own backyard and its parameters, Modpools can be configured in different geometric shapes to fit the size of your garden or patio, or whatever your configuration may need – indoor or outdoor. The shipping containers can be cut down from their 20-40’ lengths to fit any size or shape needed for your particular backyard configuration.

The temperature of Modpools can be raised to 104-degrees Fahrenheit for colder environments. The Modpools are adjusted and welded about an hour east of Vancouver in Rathnam’s factory so that all the construction happens off-site prior to the pool’s installation. The good news is on-site installation can be finished in a matter of only a day.

Designer: Modpools

Click Here to Buy Now!

Glass windows can be installed to the side of Modpools for underwater viewing.

Modpools can be installed underground, aboveground, or anywhere in-between.

Modpools can also be cut down in length to fit indoors, shrinking down from a length of 40-feet to 20-feet.

Aboveground Modpools would be a great addition to the heat of the backyard during the summer months, lasting over 30 years.

This sustainable, self-sufficient, prefab house can be flat-packed & it looks like a cruise ship!

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When you can’t go on a cruise, you bring the cruise home – literally! The Sail House is a spacious, self-sufficient, nautical-themed home with a unique form inspired by large white sails on ships. It is designed by Los Angeles-based architect David Hertz who is celebrated for sustainable architecture. Sail House was also selected as the 2021 Architizer A+Awards Jury Winner for Residential/Private House!

Sail House has a central structure called the main house with several guest houses bordering it and all nestled on the lush Bequia Island in the Caribbean – didn’t I say it literally brings a cruise home? Since the Caribbean is a notoriously difficult area to source building materials, the team made sure that the entire project – the main house and the guesthouses – were prefabricated offsite, flat-packed, and delivered in 15 shipping containers. This ensured minimal site impact to the sensitive ecosystem and was nearly zero waste which is important because otherwise, the construction waste would have had to be transported out of the island which would increase emissions.

The luxurious home was named after its eye-catching tensile roofs inspired by the history of sailing on the island. “The main inspiration for the Sail House was a wooden boat with its masts and sails, the expressed stainless steel rigging and hardware, which is referenced in the home,” said Hertz. The roof membranes also act as a rain collection system by funneling water into a concrete foundation for storage. This nifty system provides for 100% of water needs and the air pulled from the stored water is then used to cool the space when needed. Additionally, the cantilevered roofline provides more shade and ventilation to increase cooling naturally. The electricity needs are covered by solar panels.

Both the interior and exterior of Sail House include natural construction materials such as woven palm, coconut shell fragments and surfaces crafted by Javanese and Balinese artisans. “Sustainability was one of the main goals of the Sail House project. The non-corrosive and termite-resistant aluminum structural system is wrapped in reclaimed ironwood planks recycled from an abandoned pier in Borneo, as are the plank floors, decks, and the vertical louvers that control low sun and prevailing breezes,” Hertz explained. It is truly one of the most beautiful, resilient, and functional homes I’ve seen that flawlessly balances luxury with sustainability!

Designer: David Hertz Architects





Own Your Own Massive 32′ x 16′ Above-Ground Pool

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Summer is coming, and you know what that means – I guess the opposite of whatever they meant in Game of Thrones. And what better way to enjoy the warm weather than with a massive 32′ x 16′ x 4’4″ above-ground pool? After all, digging a giant hole would take time and muscles – neither of which I have.

Available on Amazon for the low, low price of $3,300 (affiliate link), the pool holds an impressive 14,364 gallons when filled to 90% capacity and includes a 2,800 gallons/hour sand filter pump system to keep the water clean. I hate that I even have to mention this, but you still shouldn’t pee in it, just so we’re clear.

So, are you buying one of these and inviting me over for a pool party or what? I’ll even bring my own water wings AND help you fill up the pool with your neighbor’s hose. Think of all the fun we’ll have! There will be a lifeguard on duty though, right? Because I might panic and forget I can just stand up.

[via DudeIWantThat]

This Inflatable Pool Float Tank Has an Integrated Water Cannon

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What better way to let everybody know who rules the pool than with a $150 Pool Punisher (affiliate link), an inflatable pool float that looks like a tank and has an integrated pump-style water cannon that can shoot up to 50-feet. Nobody trying to sunbathe by the pool will be safe this summer! Also, my wife is probably going to kill me when I spray her when she’s trying to read.

Get two Pool Punishers for the ultimate in water cannon pool battles! How can you tell who wins? Whoever drinks less pool water. Obviously, I’ve already lost because I was thirsty.

When I was a kid we didn’t have Pool Punishers. We didn’t even have pool noodles. Shoot, we didn’t even have pools, we played in a pond with catfish. They never lost at playing Marco Polo either, I can tell you that. They did lose at not being dinner though.

[via OddityMall]

The folds of this fluid structure cradles a staircase & houses a zen pool!

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Believe it or not, Fold House is a reincarnation of a historic guesthouse that was lost to fire. PARTISANS breathed new life into the space by designing a residential property that folds into the contours of a scenic hillside in Ontario. The two-story structure flaunts bold curves and is constructed from wood and steel that matches the topography of the environment. The Toronto-based architecture firm has centered its entire design around the swimming pool which is a poetic way to erase the memory of the fire incident.

The star of the house – a zen pool pavilion – sits on the lower part of the hill with a sweeping 80-foot long by 10-foot tall sliding glass façade that immerses the property into the views offered by the natural surroundings. Fold House’s fluid form surprisingly hides a 90-foot steel structural beam that is responsible for creating the cantilevered canopy and giving the illusion of a  floating front pavilion. The roof is shaped like a wave and covered with a lush green carpet to provide natural cooling. This wave is visible inside as well as outside, kind of like an architectural ribbon that ties up the house. My favorite part was how the trough of the wave (lowest point) holds the external steel staircase creating a smooth slope in the white oak ceiling of the pool room.

For the house’s façade, PARTISANS used compression-bent wood which was also carried into its interior design. Compression-bent wood is usually not deployed at this scale, in fact, this artisanal fabrication technique is mainly used on furniture and musical instruments adding yet another unique element to the Fold House. Since the structure is nestled in nature, a 3D scan was performed to fine-tune its positioning so the environmental impact could be minimized and escarpment regulations of the area could be followed. The windows have also been placed in a checkerboard pattern to maximize sunlight throughout the year and reduce solar gain in the summer months. Fold House is the ultimate dreamy, minimal, home!

Designer: PARTISONS

Sutro’s floating pool-monitor lets you measure your pool’s alkalinity and chlorine levels

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I imagine having a backyard pool is much more complicated than just pouring water into a pit. It needs to be periodically cleaned, chlorine-regulated, pH moderated, etc. Sutro’s Pool Monitor floats around your pool like a miniature buoy, keeping track of the water’s composition. It beams all this data right to your phone, allowing you to manage your pool efficiently. The floating monitor comes with a month-long battery life, and shares data to your phone, letting you know your pool’s pH level, chlorine level, and even the water’s temperature should you choose to use the Pool Monitor in a hot-tub. The Pool Monitor works even with pool-covers on, allowing you to use it throughout the year, and its partnership with a network of pool-maintenance companies lets you simply take charge of your pool by clicking a button to order the right materials and tools for your pools!

Designer: Sutro

Artist Turns Bus Into a Swimming Pool

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Artis Benedetto Bufalino likes to make some pretty wild things out of vehicles. He’s transformed a construction digger into an aquarium, a Ford Mondeo into a pizza oven, a cement mixer into a disco ball, and both a car and a camper into swimming pools. Now he’s gone and turned an entire city bus into a swimming pool.

While swimming bus can no longer drive, it’s still a pretty amazing build. It looks like he basically laid the bus on its side, then sliced one side off of it and gutted its insides. He then created a custom swimming pool liner and a set of stairs, then filled it up with water. I’m sure the build process was way more complicated than I’m suggesting, so kudos to the artist for pulling off such an impressive feat. Check it out:

Work in progress… le bus piscine est presque ready… prends ton maillot de bain et rendez-vous samedi 22 juin au parc des îles à Hénin-Beaumont…

Posted by BENEDETTO BUFALINO on Saturday, June 15, 2019

If you happen to be anywhere near the Parc des îles, in Hénin-Beaumont, France, the pool bus will be on display at the Plongez dans l’inconnu (“Immerse yourself in the unknown”) exhibit, which kicks off on June 22. You might even get to take a dip in it if you bring your swimsuit.

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Pink Coffin Pool Float Is for the Cheerful Goth

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What do you do if you’re into the goth scene and your friends invite you to the beach? Finding a black swimsuit wouldn’t be an issue, but I’m not sure you’re allowed to walk around with a tan. Fortunately, we have your fix.

This pink coffin pool float would be perfect for the for upbeat nihilists wanting to be around friends, outdoors, near the water, in the summertime. Black would be a better color choice, but the pink will make you look more cheerful.

The lid is removable so someone can float next to you should they desire. Or you can climb into the coffin and shut the top to keep your pasty complexion intact. It’s not cheap at $99, but it beats whipping your own up with pool noodles, duct tape, and cheap rafts from Walmart.

[via Sad & Useless]

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The Float-Tea is a Pool Float for Your Tea Cup

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With the recent cold snap here in the midwest, I’ve been downing cups of tea like they’re going out of style. At times, I even imagine taking a swim in some chai or mint tea since it smells so good. Of course, if you’re going to fill a swimming pool with tea, you’re going to need some pool floaties. Or is that Float-Teas?

The wacky minds over at Fred came up with these cute and clever tea infusers that look like inflatable pool floats. But not to worry about keeping these ones filled with air. They’re actually made from stainless steel, and offer a compartment inside for your loose tea. Simply fill, and float in a mug of hot water, and your mini pool will soon be filled with a delightfully-fragrant beverage.

The Float-Tea is available in pink flamingo, unicorn, and swan designs, and they’re just $15 each from Fred. Now if only tea water was blue or green instead of brown…

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Let’s Taco ‘Bout This Goofy Pool Float

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For many of us, summer means heat and sweat. And there’s no better way to cool off on a hot summer day than a plunge in the pool. But if you’re going to float around in there, you might as well look like you’re having fun. This mustachioed taco pool float should do the trick just fine.

Measuring in at about 61″ long by 30″ wide, it should keep kids and adults up to 200 pounds afloat without a problem. Though I am concerned about it leaving bits of pico de gallo, tomato, and cheese floating in the water.

 

You can grab one of these silly taco pool floats over at Amazon for about $30. Your stomach will be so much happier with this than that double chalupa you were thinking of eating from Taco Bell.