Issue 51

GLAMPSITES
Natural
Pools
Create the ultimate in immersive, back to nature
experiences while increasing your sustainability
credentials
GETTY IMAGES
NATURAL POOLS are designed to be
hygienically operated without the need for
continuous chemical disinfection, and with
minimum energy and water requirements.
Inspired by natural lake systems, natural
pools are often constructed to look
like a pond or a lake and incorporate a
natural filtration system in the form of a
regeneration zone. In this zone specially
selected plants and an aggregate substrate
filter nutrients, algae and micro-organisms
out of the water.
Natural swimming pools – which can
be as small as 15m2 – come in two main
forms:
› the traditional natural pool (or pond);
› and the living pool, which visually looks
more like a traditional filtered pool.
In the case of natural pools, a dividing
wall reaching to approximately 100mm
below the water surface separates the
regeneration zone from the swimming
zone to prevent contamination of
swimming water with soil and aggregate
material. Water may also be passed
through a mesh screen and phosphate
sink, and additional aquatic plants added
to the swimming area, to provide further
“NATURAL POOLS REQUIRE
MORE SPACE THAN
CONVENTIONAL POOLS
OF THE SAME SWIMMING
AREA. HOWEVER, THEY CAN
BE INTEGRATED INTO THE
SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE,
AND CAN SUPPORT LOCAL
BIODIVERSITY BY PROVIDING
A HABITAT FOR AQUATIC
SPECIES”
water purification if required.
Living pools, on the other hand, can be
designed to look conventional, with clear
separation of the main swimming area
from the planted regeneration area. They
may even be heated and located indoors,
as demonstrated on the Artehof Aparthotel
and Campsite in Germany.
Typically, glampers spend their holidays
closer to nature and are receptive to the
concept of natural pools. These pools
avoid the use of chlorine and other
disinfection agents or treatment systems
such as ozonation, thereby almost
eliminating the resource depletion
and ecotoxicity impacts of swimming
pools, and significantly reducing energy
consumption.
Natural pools require more space than
conventional pools of the same swimming
area. However, they can be integrated
into the surrounding landscape, and can
support local biodiversity by providing a
habitat for aquatic species. So, in addition
to reduced ecotoxicity effects, natural
pools are likely to result in a significant
positive effect on biodiversity compared
with conventional pools.
CONSTRUCTION DESIGN
As with conventional pools, it is
important that the pool and filter system
(regeneration area) are sized to cope with
expected peak demand. Natural pools are
not able to hygienically cope with high
peak usage rates.
The edge of the pool should be raised,
and/or a drainage ditch constructed
completely around the pool to ensure
that no run-off water enters the pool.
Construction of the main body of the
pool is as per conventional pools. A
rubber membrane or similar flexible
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