Gold Winner of the International Architecture & Design Awards 2024
biophilic pool area design
Landscape
Custom & Unique Landscape Design
Completed / Professional Category
Architect / Designer:
Sofia Touboura
Studio:
Elmago art ‘n’ design
Design Team:
Stones and monoliths purchased at Tsouflidis natural stone factory, Lakkoma Soil and pebbles purchased at Livadiotis, Siviri.
Prefab aluminium pool framing and liner purchased and set by Poseidon pools, Thessaloniki.
Ground levelling and monolith placement by local workers. Pool stone and wood coating by local workers and me.
Pool area stones setting by local workers and me. Pool and pool area design by me.
Copyright:
Sofia Touboura
Country:
Greece
BIOPHILIC POOL AREA DESIGN
The project took place at a vacation villa at Chalkidiki, Greece.
The aim was for the pool area to both make a statement but blend in with the surroundings as well. The latter was achieved mostly by the use of natural locally sourced materials. The first was achieved by a sculptural approach to the design.
A very small invisible amount of concrete was used as a base underneath the pool, for structural steadiness safety reasons.
The pool its’ self is a prefab aluminium one, coated with locally sourced stones and deck wood. Free standing on sand, locally sourced as well stones create the pool area. Their joints are filled with pebbles. A few large monoliths are used both to define the pool area shape and to restrain the soil used to level up the slightly inclined area. A few more are used as the front side of the pool, providing a strong natural feeling to the construction. The wood deck and the stones mix in a sculptural, organic way.
Locally sourced as they are, somehow the stones and monoliths that prevail in the design, blend in with the surroundings in full harmony.
The result is a unique, nature-spa feeling relaxing environment.
BIOPHILIC POOL AREA DESIGN
The project took place at a vacation villa at Chalkidiki, Greece.
The aim was for the pool area to both make a statement but blend in with the surroundings as well. The latter was achieved mostly by the use of natural locally sourced materials. The first was achieved by a sculptural approach to the design.
A very small invisible amount of concrete was used as a base underneath the pool, for structural steadiness safety reasons.
The pool its’ self is a prefab aluminium one, coated with locally sourced stones and deck wood. Free standing on sand, locally sourced as well stones create the pool area. Their joints are filled with pebbles. A few large monoliths are used both to define the pool area shape and to restrain the soil used to level up the slightly inclined area. A few more are used as the front side of the pool, providing a strong natural feeling to the construction. The wood deck and the stones mix in a sculptural, organic way.
Locally sourced as they are, somehow the stones and monoliths that prevail in the design, blend in with the surroundings in full harmony.
The result is a unique, nature-spa feeling relaxing environment.
Elmago art 'n' design
ElMago is the art design office of artist Sofia Touboura, mostly focusing on biophilic design of interior and exterior spaces and custom textiles, furniture and wallpapers.
It was longlisted in the Best Emerging Studio of the year category, Dezeen Awards 2021. (https://www.dezeen.com/awards/2021/longlists/elmago/)
It is nominated for the international Earthshot prize, 2024.
*Sofia Touboura is a Greece based audiovisual artist with background in social studies. In her work she takes under consideration the specific cultural and natural surroundings of each projects’ location and the people it addresses to.
She often dissolves the boundaries between fine and applied art, inserting design elements in her fine art and a sculptural colourful approach at her design.
Both of her practices are strongly and deeply influenced by nature – thus both are strongly biophilic.