May 2018 - THE COOL POOL by Astralpool Australia

A walk through the complex of magic fountains in Astana

Magic curtains, colored lights, water that moves to the rhythm of music and that shoots up into the sky with the power of a natural geyser. Blasts of flames and amazing shafts of light. The innovative technology behind the fountains in Astana (Kazakhstan) is just one of the latest advances in the complex that staged the 2017 Expo on the future of energy. Would you like to take a walk with us to see this fountain up close?

This exhibit, devoted to the most innovative technology, attracted four million visitors who were greeted by a monumental fountain that danced to magical music designed by AstralPool. Just a few technical details will give an idea of its monumental size: a surface area of 2,630 m², a water volume of 1,618 m³, 12 kilometers of power cables and a network of 8 kilometers of piping. What’s more, its almost unlimited combinations of light and color, and a total of 200 lights can create 16 million colors!

Magical fountains designed by Astralpool

That’s not all! This magic fountain has a number of jets: vertical, dancing and rocket jets that shoot out the water an explosive 30 meters from the ground. AstralPool has even included a completely safe device able to shoot coloured flames into the air alongside the water. A unique customized set-up designed with a groundbreaking filtration, disinfection and software control system.

It is also possible to walk around the magic fountain of Astana up to a raised bridge on which the sheer power of the water can be felt and the light show seen. It will still be possible to visit the complex in 2018, when it will also stage projects for smart lighting systems, geographic information systems, and various publicly or privately funded schemes.

Would you like to discover other wonderful fountains by AstralPool? Don’t miss the next The Cool Pool post on which we discuss the latest trends in fountain design!

A “Crossed House” in Murcia

Clavel Arquitectos designed and built a beautiful crossed house in a property development located in Molina de Segura, in the Spanish region of Murcia. The single-family property, which boasts views over the surrounding Sierra de la Pila and Valle de Ricote mountains, ingeniously harnesses sunlight and solar energy

Two expressive longitudinal volumes, 20 metres in length by 5 metres deep, placed at angles on top of each other, magnificently deliver on the architects’ goal of ensuring privacy on the ground floor while guaranteeing the enjoyment of the local nature views from the upper floor.

The strategic arrangement of the two bodies and the rotation between them provides good orientation, excellent natural lighting indoors and a perfect shade in front of the ground-floor living area next to the pool. The 10-metre-long overhang is the standout feature of the garden area in front of the living room, protecting the interior from direct sunlight on the façade and enabling the shady areas that are so needed and sought on many days of the year.

The architects’ expressive showpiece, which takes the form of the positioning of the volumes, is shored up by a subtle distinction in the treatment of the edges of the two bodies. On the ground floor, the transverse rounded edges frame the large façade opening on the southeast side, while this treatment is applied length-wise on the upper floor, framing the views of the rooms at the ends. This visually reduces the contact area between the two volumes and reinforces the longitudinal nature of the geometric shape.

The exterior texture of the crossed house is rough, created by a shuttering of sandblasted pine strips. A continuous concrete surface also present in the garden paving, where the pool is inserted with round edges, maintains a unique language throughout the project.

Altogether it is an exercise in care, worthy of the Costa Cálida coastline, where a garden with views and a pool is the perfect setting to rewind and kick back in.

Photos: © David Frutos (BISimages)

Making a splash: five music videos filmed at pools

Pools have long been chosen by artists as the perfect backdrop for their music videos. This list includes eighties icons, rock bands and pop stars who’ve gotten wet and wild in their videos and made a splash to promote their songs.

Wham: Club Tropicana (1983)

British duo George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley filmed the music video for Club Tropicana at Pikes Hotel in Ibiza. Filled with cocktail with umbrellas and sunglasses, the pool party featured in the video is a satire of drunken tourism.

REM: Imitation of Life (2001)

The band headlined by Michael Stipe released Imitation of Life, their twelfth album, in 2001. An interesting fact about the videos is that it was filmed in 20 seconds (the video constantly fast forwards and rewinds) at a Los Angeles pool.

Lana Del Rey: Blue Jeans (2012)

Lana del Rey loves swimming pools and videos for this New Yorker’s songs often feature the artist floating in or getting out of the water in slow motion. In Blue Jeans, a dramatic black and white pool (complete with alligators) sets the scene for a destructive relationship.

The National: Graceless (2013)

Indie bands have also turned to the cinematography of the pool: American group The National takes a dip in suits in the video for the third single from the Trouble Will Find Me album.

Robin Schulz feat. Ilsey: Headlights (2015)

Filmed at an abandoned swimming pool in Algarve, the video for German DJ Robin Shulz’s Headlights video proves that pools don’t always have to be filled to provide a stunning visual display.

Kylie Minogue, Bryan Adams, Taylor Swift, Sum 41, Justin Bieber and Britney Spears are just a few of the other artists who have used swimming facilities as locations for filming their videos. Can you think of any others?

A Pool That Draws Inspiration From the Oyster Tradition of France’s Côte D’Argent

The Dune of Pilat, located at the entrance to Arcachon Bay off Cape Ferret, is one of the most spectacular natural areas along the Aquitaine’s coastal landscape to the west of Bordeaux.The dune is one of the region’s most impressive natural formations. Its 100-metre crest, the highest in Europe, is today one of the most visited sites on the Côte d’Argent (Silver Coast).

In 1930 visionary entrepreneur Louis Gaume built an exclusive hotel at the foot of the dune along the coast, surrounded by pine trees in a now protected environment. Eighty years later, businessman William Téchoueyres and his wife decided that La Corniche needed a makeover and commissioned Phillipe Starck to breathe fresh life into the hotel and its grounds. The result was La Co(o)rniche, a place defined in close collaboration with the Gaume family, a spectacular spot for getting away from it all with a focus on the guests’ enjoyment, which makes superb use of the surrounding area’s exquisite beauty with the utmost respect for the environment.

While the original building retains its neo-Basque style, 18 cabins inspired by the traditional huts of the area’s oyster fishermen (oysters are a culinary delight on this side of the Atlantic) were built as part of the remodel. The hotel terrace opens directly onto the huge pool, shaped to resemble the area’s traditional oyster fishermen platforms. The blue-grey pool merges with the infinite ocean horizon.

Towards the cape or the island, towards the road along the coast or the dune, the unique and extraordinary views from any part of the hotel, particularly from the stunning pool, are fabulous. The entire resort now exudes an air of sophisticated yet delicate luxury.

Month: May 2018