10 Cool Pools That Beat the Heat in Scorching Locations
It’s getting hotter out there. This summer alone, temperatures reached record-breaking highs all over the country—the world, even. On days when it’s too hot to crack a window and the air conditioning won’t cut it, a cool body of water is the cure. Here, find 10 homes in hot places with highly covetable pools.
In Mexico, a Modern Palapa and Pool Are Carved Into a Rocky Slope
At a residence in Mexico, architecture firm CDM Casas de Mexico envisioned the pool as a spot where water floods the stone, "almost in a way of a pond remaining after the turning tides."
Situated on five acres in the Mojave Desert about 10 minutes from Joshua Tree, a three-bedroom dwelling originally built in 1987 recently underwent a head-to-toe renovation. In the backyard, the shipping container, from Modpool, is controlled by a smart-tech system which allows it to double as a hot tub.
Nestled in the enchanting East Cape region of Los Cabos, Hawks Nest House by FabrikG takes design cues from the landscape. "For us, the place, the land itself, is very revealing," says architect Gonzalo Elizarraras. Building materials were locally sourced to create a home that naturally extends from the terrain. Local stone and rammed earth make up the structure’s walls and foundation. Polished concrete floors create a monochromatic look that draws from and reflects the deserts of Baja. The home’s saltwater pool features views out over the Sea of Cortez, and has its own solar-powered saline pump and cleansing system.
From the exposed concrete and stone walls outside, to the polished concrete, wood cabinetry, and sculpted marble sinks inside, material selection in this spectacular home on the island of Milos was guided by how the materials felt in hand. These choices extended to the pool. "The same marble that’s outside is inside of the swimming pool," says Loperena. "So, you look into it, and you immediately feel cool looking at it. And you go in and you feel it."
On the outskirts of Grândola—a small Alentejan town in the Setúbal district of Portugal—a dramatic architectural form sits in the vast, arid landscape amidst cork trees and herds of cows. The whitewashed guesthouse, known as Casa da Volta, which translates as "Home of the Return," offers a refreshing new take on rural living. Among the home’s many notable features is a pool with a strikingly geometric form that contrasts with the rawness of the surrounding landscape.
Taller de Arquitectura Contextual built a 452-square-foot home in Mexico that’s just right for two. Rough stucco mixed with artisanal paint conveys warmth and texture, while precisely placed apertures connect the interior to the remote setting. "The objective was to achieve a reflective and contemplative place that links the occupant with the surrounding wild landscape," said the firm. By building the house on a platform, the architects at Taller de Arquitectura Contextual were able to include a pool that seamlessly joins with the rear terrace.
In 2016, Rich Cook and Rezeta Veliu stumbled upon a dilapidated property in the middle of the Californian desert—the perfect foundation for their dreams of living off-the-grid. The couple enlisted the help of Don Gulley, a local contractor, to develop an entire off-grid building system for the project. Working alongside the contracting team, Rich and Rezeta’s home design expanded far beyond the original structure; the build added an entire other level, a solar-powered electrical grid, and a nearly unheard-of off-grid luxury: a swimming pool.
The pool of this geometric home by Wendell Burnette is enclosed by 13-foot-high walls and feels as laterally finite as the house feels spacious—but the view up goes on forever. Light filtering through holes cut in the base of the pool’s perimeter bounces from the water onto the far wall, creating a sort of aquatic fireplace display.
When a couple approached São Paulo–based Fernanda Marques Arquitetos Associados to redesign their duplex apartment, they were seeking a design versatile and minimalist enough to accommodate their ever-growing art collection and have it harmoniously blend into the interior concept. One of the most striking features in the 5,135-square-feet home is the glass-walled swimming pool. Sited in the exterior garden, it goes across the front and center of the living room to create an aquarium-like wall.
To most eyes, Ezequiel Farca’s 1970s-style concrete home in Mexico City looked like a teardown. Even the lot itself—shallow and crammed against a steep hillside—wasn’t particularly alluring. But Farca saw through all the restraints to create a spa-like refuge in one of the world’s most energetic cities. "It’s is such a hectic place. You’re bombarded by so much information the moment you step into the streets," says Farca, who first gained prominence as a furniture and interior designer. "So we envisioned this house as a retreat, a kind of a temple." The rooftop courtyard is lined with a verdant mix of indigenous plants and a plunge-worthy pool.
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