As temperatures in most parts of the world drop to their annual low, we reminisce warmer days and dream of the ideal summer home escape. Designed by an array of renowned architects, these homes are characterized by their luxurious outdoor swimming pools, private lagoons, hillside infinity pools, and bath-like aesthetic.
Los Vilos House, Chile by Christián Boza
Constructed in the early 1990s to only be completed by 1997, the Los Vilos House was once a weekend retreat for the late Chilean architect, Cristián Boza, his wife and their four children. Topped by an undulating concrete wall that protects its open-air roof terrace from the natural elements, the residence is characterised by its winding yellow walls and circular swimming pool. Designed with the help of his wife Diana Wilson, the residence also boasts an in-house sauna and jacuzzi, which overlook the sea.
Jellyfish House, Spain, by Wiel Arets Architects
Showcasing a palatial rooftop swimming pool, this three-storey concrete residence designed by Wiel Arets Architects, offers guests the opportunity to swim and sunbathe with a bird’s eye view of the surrounding Mediterranean sea. Projected out across a semi-enclosed terrace, the pool rests above a large interior window, allowing residents to view and interact with each other from across levels.
Panorama, Argentina, by Fernanda Marques
Through placing the pool front and centre in the living room, Brazilian architect Fernanda Marques intends to create contrasting elements of enjoyment and tension. Built for a young and childless couple, the project was partly driven by the clients’ desire to incorporate a place for swimming into their two-storey apartment. Designed with a view through thick glass panels, the inhabitants and the guests of their pool, can be watched like fish in an aquarium tank.
Villa Molli, Italy, by Lorenzo Guzzini
With ‘an architectural and symbolic function, uniting visually to the wild ‘aqua dulza’ of the lake’, Lorenzo Guzzini constructs a home from grey moraine stone and an infinity pool. Built along the gentle slopes of Sala Comacina, the highly minimalist home boasts the most magnificent aerial views from the comfort of its cosy interiors.
Canal House, USA, by Studio MK27
Perhaps the only home on this list to feature a natural swimming pool, the Canal House by Studio MK27, enables residents to swim with fish. Measuring 100 feet long (30 metres) and 30 feet wide (nine metres), the man-made lagoon is organically filtered and surrounded by vegetation to provide an “authentically manicured” natural environment for the Florida home. Bordered by a patio with a fire pit and benches carved from tree trunks, the lagoon lies under an elevated walkway, allowing inhabitants of the main living areas access to the scene below.
Oak Pass House, USA, by Walker Workshop
Topped by glass-walled living spaces and an infinity pool, architecture studio Walker Workshop presents the Oak Pass House, intended for a concert violinist, seeking privacy for private classical-music performances. Situated atop of a ridge, the house is bordered by over 130 protected oak trees, with ample room to feature a courtyard and sunken pool.