The New Modernism: 20 Best Minimalist Swimming Pools

In a recent discussion with San Francisco-based landscape architect Scott Lewis, he told us that the biggest shift in pool design, as he has seen it, is tinting plaster to a darker shade of a blue (rather than the blinding turquoise of midcentury pools). The effect, Lewis says, is a more natural palette–more restful–and creates a reflective surface for the sky.

As it turns out, architects from Alvar Aalto to Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, and Vincent van Duysen also have their own take on the backyard pool. Here are our 20 favorite modernist pool designs, just in time for the 90-degree days of summer.

Barcelona Pavilion

Above: A prototype for minimalist pools is seen in Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion, a house built in 1929 that stood for only a year. Photograph via Mies van der Rohe Society; you can become a member of the society for $100 (or $25 if you are a student). For more information, see Membership.

Kortrijk, Belgium

Above: A minimalist lap pool at the PI Residence in Kortrijk, Belgium designed by Vincent van Duysen. Photograph by Alberto Piovano courtesy of Vincent Van Duysen.

Portugal

For more of this project, see Pool of the Week: A Manmade Beach in the Portuguese Countryside.

County Wicklow, Ireland

For more of this garden, see Garden Visit: At Home with June Blake in Ireland.

Napa Valley

For more of this project, see Swimming Pool of the Week: A Dive into a Napa Valley Landscape.

Hudson Valley, NY

For more of this project, see Architect Visit: A Natural Pool and Passive House by BarlisWedlick.

Noormarkku, Finland

Above: At Villa Mairea, a house in Noormarkku, Finland designed by Alvar Aalto in 1940 includes a simple pool in the iconic Aalto shape. Photograph via Alvar Aalto Museo; admission to the museum in Jyväskylä, Finland is €6. For hours and more information, see Alvar Aalto Museo.

Riehen, Switzerland

Above: A chlorine-free, bio-filtered pool in Riehen, Switzerland by architects Herzog & de Meuron is modeled after a natural bathing lake. Photograph courtesy of Herzog & de Meuron.

Cazadero, California

Above: A circular swimming pool built from a former livestock watering tank at architect Olle Lundberg’s redwood cabin in Cazadero, California. Photograph by Alan Owings.

New Canaan, Connecticut

Above: An elevated concrete pathway leads to a bright, circular pool at Philip Johnson’s Glass House on 49 acres in New Canaan, Connecticut. Photograph by Matthew Williams.

For more of Johnson’s house, see Glass House Landscape: A “Permanent Camping Trip” for Architect Philip Johnson.

Antiparos, Greece

For more, see Landscape Architect Visit: Thomas Doxiadis on Antiparos.

Melbourne

Above: An indoor pool in the 741-foot-tall Melbourne Tower by Elenberg Fraser. Photograph courtesy of CEL Australia, Elenberg Fraser and Pointilism.

Antwerp, Belgium

Above: Photograph courtesy of Hans Verstuyft Architecten.

A penthouse in Antwerp, Belgium designed by Hans Verstuyft Architecten.

Long Island

For more of this project, see Before & After: A Swimming Pool in the Hamptons, Inspired by Spain.

Long Island

Above: Photograph by Charles Mayer courtesy of The Monacelli Press.

Above: Lacy Sophora japonica trees sit at each corner of a pool by Edmund Hollander Design, underplanted with Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum ‘Mariesii,’ spireas, and hydrangeas. For more, see Required Reading: The Good Garden by Edmund Hollander.

Shelter Island

Above: Photograph by Gentl & Hyers.

Design pros Andrew Corrie and Harriet Maxwell Macdonald have a low-profile swimming pool to visually connect their garden to surrounding Shelter Island wetlands. See more at Garden Visit: A Design Couple’s Scenic Shelter Island Retreat.

Northern California

For more, see Ask the Expert: An Insider’s Guide to Swimming Pool Design, with Scott Lewis.

Los Angeles

For more of this project, see Garden Visit: Spanish Colonial-Style Made Modern in LA.

Todos Santos, Mexico

For more, see Garden Visit: A French Aesthete in Todos Santos, Mexico.

Sonoma, California

For more, see Landscape Architect Visit: Terremoto Creates Serenity in Sonoma.

For further aquatic inspiration, see our posts:

• The Dark Mirror: A Backyard Reflecting Pool in Eastern Europe.
• Landscape Architect Visit: Bernard Trainor’s Most Beautiful Swimming Pool.
• Steal This Look: A Charleston Pool Pavilion with an Outdoor Shower.
• Summer Roundup: 12 Great Pool Houses.

Finally, get more ideas on how to integrate a swimming pool into your landscape or exterior home project with our Hardscaping 101: Swimming Pools guide.