A 40-year-old kidney-shaped swimming pool was transformed into a contemporary, safer outdoor space. The key challenge was incorporating a safety cover into an irregular pool where a conventional rectangular cover appeared impossible. We re-engineered the pool geometry, creating new beach areas & a concealed chamber to accommodate the cover. Finished with iridescent grey mosaic, porcelain paving, upgraded pipework, lighting & equipment, the result combines safety, innovation & exceptional design

This project deserves to win because it demonstrates what can be achieved when a refurbishment is approached as an engineering and design challenge rather than simply replacing what is already there.The clients had a nearly 40-year-old pool and a straightforward requirement: they wanted it to be safer. They believed their kidney-shaped pool meant a safety cover was not an option and were considering fencing the pool instead.Rather than accept that limitation, we completely rethought the existing structure. By reshaping the pool and introducing substantial beach areas, we created the geometry required to accommodate a rectangular safety cover and incorporated a dedicated chamber for it.The safety requirement therefore became an integral part of the design rather than an unattractive retrofit.The transformation is particularly striking: an ageing, heavily deteriorated pool has become a contemporary centrepiece, combining a sophisticated iridescent mosaic finish, porcelain paving, upgraded hydraulics, lighting and equipment.

The design was driven by the clients’ desire to make their existing pool safer without losing the character of their garden. Initially, they believed a safety cover could not be installed because of the kidney-shaped pool and were considering fencing around the pool instead. With nearly three decades of experience as a third-generation pool builder, we identified an alternative solution: rather than trying to retrofit a rectangular safety cover onto the existing irregular shape, we would carefully re-engineer the pool itself. The pool was lowered and remodelled to create a more suitable geometry, incorporating generous beach areas and a dedicated chamber to house the safety cover. This allowed the cover to become an integrated part of the architecture rather than an obvious retrofit sitting on top of the surrounding paving. The design was completed with porcelain paving and a sophisticated grey iridescent mosaic, chosen to complement the mature landscaped garden and create a contemporary appearance while retaining the character of the existing setting. The result is a pool that feels purpose-designed rather than refurbished, with the safety solution becoming one of the defining features of the design.

The existing pool presented a significant technical challenge due to its age and kidney-shaped construction. The principal engineering objective was to create the geometry required for a rectangular safety cover while retaining an aesthetically pleasing pool design. The existing pool structure was remodelled and lowered to create the required form, incorporating new beach areas and a dedicated safety-cover chamber. This enabled the cover to be fully integrated into the pool design rather than being retrofitted onto the surrounding paving. The pool was completely retiled using a grey iridescent mosaic, with new porcelain paving installed around the pool. New pipework was installed throughout the filtration/plant system, the existing pool equipment was upgraded and new pool lighting was installed. The major technical challenge was integrating a rectangular safety-cover system into a pool that had originally been constructed as an irregular kidney shape. The solution required careful structural alteration and accurate planning so that the finished pool, beach areas and cover chamber worked together as one cohesive installation.

Bespoke Swimming Pools Ltd