From La Piscine to A Greater Splash, swimming pools have defined the holiday on the silver screen for countless years. Even Slim Aarons couldn't resist his vintage shots of the poolside la dolce vita. Many pools, however, were built with fewer aspirations to be globally acclaimed. They were made for the simple pleasure of a quick dip while blending into their surroundings. Nevertheless, they remain quite iconic.
Los Vilos House
Size is not everything... at least not as it pertains to swimming pools. Located in Los Vilos, Chile lies architect Cristián Boza's seaside gem. Bozo's family noted, "In this house, each space is arranged around the long stoned passage that originates at the highest point of the terrain and ends in the ocean.". The pool's circular design was meant to be aesthetically pleasing and to match the playful curvature of the house and surrounding area.
Casa Il Quinto Sol
Costa Careyes. Famous for many things, but especially for its swimming pools. This narrow stretch of beach contains more unique and colorful swimming pools than anywhere else in the world. This guitar-shaped pool looks out over the Pacific and makes it quite hard not to tune out.
Casa Wabi
An artist's retreat along a picturesque stretch of beach along Puerto Escondido, Casa Wabi seems like a good place to find inspiration. Consisting of a single 312-meter long concrete wall, Casa Wabi is unique in how simple, yet thoughtfuly it has been laid out.
Aman Tokyo
Of all the urban pools one has to choose from, it seemed this zen oasis above the chaos of Ginza was a good pick. The nearly 100-foot pool atop the Otemachi Tower channels light throughout the day allowing for an outdoor experience to your truly indoor sanctuary.
The Other Side
Across from Harbour Island speck of sand in North Eleuthera is this home-meets-safari glamping site run by the team behind The Ocean View Club. The "beach shack" digs are accompanied by a beautiful pool that runs off into the bay. While it may seem trivial to have such a beautiful pool next to such a beautiful beach, when in doubt, why not have both?
Mirage House
Located on Tinos Island in Greece, the Mirage House is a marvel of design. The location is carved into the unique dry stonewalls and benefits from panoramic views of the sea. Those chairs are just begging you to sit in them.
Jungle House
Deep in the green surrounding Sao Paolo, the Jungle House blends into its surroundings. To take advantage of this lush vegetation, the architect placed the bedrooms and swimming pool on the same level as the home. One can only dream of waking up in the morning and falling into this jungle plunge pool.