Swarthmore, PA
The program called for an enclosed, freestanding lap pool to accommodate two swimmers and support space to include spa, changing facilities, kitchen and lounge area. The building is used year round, and the sustainable design captures the environmental benefits of natural cross ventilation and shading in the summer and passive solar gain in the winter.
| Square Footage: | 2,700 SF | |
| Construction Budget: | $450,000 |
Swarthmore, PA
Construction Budget: $450,000
The heavily treed suburban site consists of two contiguous lots forming a “tee” shape. The new building is located near the intersection of the tee, at the north end of a rolling lawn, and forms a backdrop to the site as seen from the two houses on the property. Nestled into a grove of evergreen trees to the rear and more mature deciduous trees to the east and west, the structure is sited both for energy efficiency and to take advantage of the view from the pool back out across the lawn. In keeping with an informal garden structure, the roof is given a whimsical touch with seven eyebrow dormers.
Two pieces form the plan of the building. A flat roofed service wing set parallel to the property lines and main house, and the gable roofed pool enclosure, rotated to face south. Tension between the two geometries is expressed on the interior by the solid wall of the service wing intersecting the open columnar space of the pool enclosure.
The steeply pitched roof of the pool enclosure has deep overhanging eaves to shade the large south-facing windows in summer and creates a generous volume above the pool. The long narrow proportion of the interior space is modulated and enlivened by custom cedar trusses. Warm red hues of the cedar ceiling complement the cooler blues of the pool tile and water.
