Page 18 - Outdoor Living October 2025

LIFESTYLE

Design Appeal: Beauty that Belongs
Sustainable pools aren’t only functional — they
redefine aesthetics.
• Natural Aesthetic: Imagine a pool edged
with reeds, waterlilies, and rocks, blending
seamlessly into the landscape. It looks less
like an add-on, more like the garden’s heart.
• Modern Eco-Luxury: On the other end of the
spectrum, architects are pairing rim-flow
designs with mineral water systems — sleek
lines, but with a conscience.
• Lifestyle Integration: These pools aren’t
hidden at the back. They’re framed as focal
Tips for Creating Your Own Sustainable Pool
points, with decks, pergolas, and lounging
Making the leap to a greener pool doesn’t have to be
areas designed around the experience of
overwhelming.
being close to clear, natural water.
• Start with what you have: Even conventional pools can be
retrofitted with eco-pumps, mineral systems, or solar heating.
The effect is subtle but powerful: guests no
• Think about balance: Pair a swimming zone with a small
longer ask who built your pool, they ask what
regeneration area — even a few square metres of plants can
it is.
make a huge difference.
• Prioritise water savings: Choose covers that reduce evaporation
Local Leaders and Innovators
and consider rainwater harvesting to top up your pool.
South Africa is at the forefront of this shift.
• Blend into the landscape: Use local stone, indigenous plants,
Companies like EcoPools, Wetland Pools, and
and natural edges so the pool feels like part of the garden, not
Natural Swimming Pools Africa are building
separate from it.
backyard oases that feel like retreats. Their work
• Choose experts: Sustainable pools require specialised design.
ranges from intimate plunge pools for compact
Work with local innovators who understand both ecology and
gardens to estate-scale natural systems where
aesthetics.
entire communities swim chemical-free.
• Plan for lifestyle: Add lounging decks, pergolas, or outdoor
showers — the greener your pool, the more time you’ll want to
Some developers are going further,
spend around it.
incorporating eco-pools into new estate
masterplans. For families choosing between
homes, a sustainable pool isn’t just a feature — The New Blue Luxury
it’s a statement of values: health, ecology, and Once, the mark of success was a sparkling blue pool. Today, true
future-thinking design. luxury lies in water that feels natural, in knowing your pool gives back
as much as it takes.
Why Families Love Them
Eco-pools are not only about saving water Sustainable pools prove that the future of luxury isn’t chlorine — it’s
or reducing chemicals — they change how clear, living water.
families experience swimming. Parents feel
safer letting children dive in without worrying
about chemical exposure. Children learn about
ecosystems as they spot tadpoles or watch
reeds flower. Teenagers find the water more
refreshing, less drying, more inviting for long
afternoons.

For adults, the difference is sensory. The water
feels softer, the setting more restful, the entire
experience more like a natural retreat than a
chore to manage.

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