Architecture

Glass-bottomed swimming pool is not for the faint-hearted

Glass-bottomed swimming pool is not for the faint-hearted
The pool was installed during a renovation of the Hubertus Hotel in South Tyrol, Italy
The pool was installed during a renovation of the Hubertus Hotel in South Tyrol, Italy
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The pool is 25 m (82 ft) long and 5 m (16 ft) wide
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The pool is 25 m (82 ft) long and 5 m (16 ft) wide
NOA also made other renovations to Hubertus Hotel
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NOA also made other renovations to Hubertus Hotel
The pool definitely requires a head for heights
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The pool definitely requires a head for heights
The pool was installed during a renovation of the Hubertus Hotel in South Tyrol, Italy
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The pool was installed during a renovation of the Hubertus Hotel in South Tyrol, Italy
The pool is edged by anthracite-colored stone
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The pool is edged by anthracite-colored stone
The pool has a depth of 1.3 m (4.3 ft)
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The pool has a depth of 1.3 m (4.3 ft)
The pool is 25 m (82 ft) long and 5 m (16 ft) wide
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The pool is 25 m (82 ft) long and 5 m (16 ft) wide
The pool is edged by anthracite-colored stone
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The pool is edged by anthracite-colored stone
The Hubertus Hotel and pool overlooks the stunning Dolomite mountain range, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
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The Hubertus Hotel and pool overlooks the stunning Dolomite mountain range, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Hubertus Hotel is an unusual-looking building, with a series of tree trunks, stripped of their bark, laid up against its facade
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The Hubertus Hotel is an unusual-looking building, with a series of tree trunks, stripped of their bark, laid up against its facade
The pool is designed to give the impression that the swimmer is floating in air
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The pool is designed to give the impression that the swimmer is floating in air
The Hubertus Hotel
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The Hubertus Hotel
The pool cantilevers from the main body of the Hubertus Hotel
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The pool cantilevers from the main body of the Hubertus Hotel
The pool is heated and has a depth of 1.3 m (4.3 ft)
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The pool is heated and has a depth of 1.3 m (4.3 ft)
The Hubertus Hotel is an unusual-looking building, with a series of tree trunks, stripped of their bark, laid up against its facade
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The Hubertus Hotel is an unusual-looking building, with a series of tree trunks, stripped of their bark, laid up against its facade
The Hubertus Hotel and pool overlooks the stunning Dolomite mountain range, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
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The Hubertus Hotel and pool overlooks the stunning Dolomite mountain range, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The pool appears to be propped-up by tree trunks
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The pool appears to be propped-up by tree trunks
View gallery - 17 images

During a hotel renovation in mountainous South Tyrol, Italy, the firm NOA (Network of Architecture) installed a swimming pool that cantilevers 12 m (40 ft) above the ground. Definitely not suitable for those afraid of heights, it has a glass bottom section that's supposed to make swimmers feel like they're floating in mid-air.

The pool is located in the Hubertus Hotel, which lies at the foot of Kronplatz, a mountain in the Dolomites. Projecting out from the main hotel building, it measures 25 m (82 ft) long and 5 m (16 ft) wide, and is edged by anthracite-colored stone. It appears to be propped-up by tree trunks.

The pool is heated and reaches a depth of 1.3 m (4.3 ft). A glazed bottom and front section show off the amazing mountain views.

The pool is 25 m (82 ft) long and 5 m (16 ft) wide
The pool is 25 m (82 ft) long and 5 m (16 ft) wide

The hotel is an unusual-looking building itself, featuring the same kind of tree trunks that prop up the pool placed against its facade. Amenities include saunas, fitness rooms and the like. NOA also installed 16 new suites plus a new kitchen, several restaurants and a new lobby and reception area, along with a new wine cellar and fitness and relaxation rooms.

There are a significant number of interesting architecture projects in that part of the world, including the Starlight Room and Zaha Hadid's wonderful Messner Museum.

Sources: NOA, Hubertus Hotel

View gallery - 17 images
1 comment
1 comment
Tom Lee Mullins
Not for me. fear of heights.