Howard Hughes Pool – Mosaic Tile by Ray Corral – Mosaicist

Today we’re looking at one of the most iconic pools in the world, the infamous Howard Hughes Pool located in Coral Gables Florida. The home is one of many formally owned by legendary business tycoon, director and aviator – Howard Hughes. Now owned by Bay City investors Matthew Meehan and his husband Rod Hildebrant, the South Florida couple had the pool installed shortly after purchasing the home.

Due to the landmark nature of the residence, the homeowners wanted a world class pool design that would be true to the time period of the home. Consequently, they called in mosaic tile expert Ray Corral – Mosaicist to create this fabulously intricate mosaic design and perform the installation.

Recently we had the opportunity to catch up with the designer of this artistic masterpiece. Corral is one of the industries leading installers of Swimming Pool Mosaics. Widely respected throughout the pool industry, Corral has been designing and installing his mosaic artwork for over 20 years. A mosaic tile designer adhering to old world methods of tile installation, Corral manufacturers and hand cuts all of the tile used in his remarkable mosaic designs.

“No other company in the United States does this level of planning and design for their clients. We perform all the manufacturing as well as the installation of our products.”

RAY CORRAL – MOSAICiST

Howard Hughes Pool Interior Design Concept

We asked how he first conceived of the design pattern. Corral explained “We got the design elements and accents from the mantle on the fireplace. That was actually perfect for the period and kept the continuity the homeowner was looking for in the design”

The Howard Hughes Pool Has It’s Challenges

We asked Corral how this particular project differed from the many other mosaic pool interiors he’d designed over the years.

“Both radiuses from the spa were a challenge. The floor of the pool is tilted down towards the spa wall and has two radiuses. The homeowners also preferred not to empty the pool for design measurements, so that was a bit of a challenge” said Corral.

“Ultimately, we wound up using laser measurement equipment, strings, whatever we could. We actually wound up eventually just diving into the water to get the correct measurements. ” continued Corral.

“Before we could even get started we had to chip out the old plaster interior which was incorrectly applied and about an inch and a half thick.” said Corral “We coated the walls with Basecrete around the perimeter making sure all surfaces were level and plumb.” he continued “We then had to mix our own setting materials and retardants to be able to move and manipulate and expand and contract all this mosaic work to fit flawlessly the way it does.”

Old World Methods of Installation

Corral described his old world methodolgy of mosaic tile installation combined with the latest standard defined by the Tile Council of America. “Our process uses the old world mortar method wet set, once you do the walls you can install with a trowel.” said Corral. “We open and close the designs around the pool floor like an accordion.”

How This Intricate Design Pattern Was Installed

One of the most incredible aspects of the pool design is how it runs edge to edge. We asked Corral why it’s often so difficult for designers to achieve a seamless look. “You have to understand, mosaic tile gets manufactured in a flat plane.” said Corral “When you lay the pool tile out for installation, it’s now going in a concave plane. It takes experience to know how to work the tile design as you’re installing it. We’re forcefully manipulating the tile as we lay it down using the wet set method. This allows the piece to breathe, expand and contract until we get the exact look we are going for.”

Due to the intricate nature of the design, it’s astounding that Corral and his team were able to complete the actual installation of the mosaic tile in the pool’s floor in just two days time.

“We’re able to think around corners and really push the limits. We’re one of the few companies that does all their own design, manufacturing and installation. “

Ray CorRAL- mosaicst

Corral accredited part of the success of this project to Greg McIntosh of GSM Builders in Fort Lauderdale. This incredible inground pool interior is merely a footnote in an already astounding repertoire and ever growing body of work.

The “Howard Hughes Pool” as it’s become known, is certainly eye candy and a conversation piece that has been a hit in magazines and on social media. Images of the pool have been shared millions of times and it has become one of the most iconic images associated with Mosaic Swimming Pool Designs.

Today Ray Corral continues to collaborate with leading pool builders and design firms. His firm creates intricately designed mosaic tile pieces for high end residential homes and commercial businesses. Already no stranger to six figure mosaic tile installations, their design work can be seen in luxurious resort style pools all over the globe.

An expert in the field of mosaic tile, he is passionate about his new method of applying real 24k gold for underwater pool applications. His method utilizes new technology that presses and applies real gold accents and designs. A notoriously difficult material to work with, Corral says his method helps prevent gold from tarnishing and allows for larger areas of gold than one typically finds in luxury pools. We’re eager to see it in application. To track his progress and learn about his other amazing creations, follow Ray Corral and his company Mosaicist on Facebook and Instagram.