Pool on a River

Pool on a River is an outdoor swimming pool along the River Rhine. The pool is tapered, accentuating view lines over the water meadows and the city of Arnhem. You either swim towards the church tower, or towards the bathhouse, which is made of rammed earth as if it were excavated from the ground. The bathhouse houses a toilet, changing room and small workshop for the estate gardener. The subtly curved zinc roof, nestled beneath the canopy of a monumental tree, creates a focal point oriented towards the pool, lending the structure a whimsically architectural character reminiscent of a folly amidst the estate. The pool is designed as a block of water in the landscape, forming a contrasting horizontal plane to the gently sloping riverbank. Nestled within a bed of reeds on the hillside, the pool embraces a symbiotic relationship with its natural surroundings. Along the riverside, the constant flow of water contributes to the gradual development of an algae patina, imparting a unique character to the concrete structure. Situated at the juncture of the National Park De Hoge Veluwe and the River Rhine, this locale presents an intriguing opportunity, tapping into an underground natural water reservoir to supply the pool with pristine, fresh water. The pool is co-owned and managed by the wider community of Klingelbeek.