A Modern Pool in Guatemala Looks Out on an Ancient View

Strictly modern: Architect Juan Lacape wanted this pool to serve as a waterfeature that would frame the view of Guatemala’s San Pedro Sula City from the modern building. With limited space, Lacape and pool builder Jorge Martinez kept the vanishing-edge pool relatively small, with a swimming area of approximately 30 feet. A shallow-water sun shelf provides more space for water interaction.

Pool with a view: To provide the proper frame and fit with the modern architecture, the design team chose dark colors for the pool. They finished the sunbathing areas in black tile and the pool in blue for an added sense of depth when looking out from the windows. The architect wanted to integrate wood into the design, so the team chose to place it near the windows, in the form of steps that appear to float in the water and lead to wood benches inset in the building’s facade. “Our idea was if you’re going to have wood in the pool, it must be on the facade,” says Martinez, president of Watermania in Guatemala City, Guatemala. “The wooden areas are not aligned, so they look as if they are floating … inside the pool.”