Connect with us

Pool News

Sky Pool – One on One with the Manufacturers

An in depth look at the engineering marvel that is the Sky Pool

Published

on

The iconic Sky Pool in London has finally arrived and the overnight sensation that this pool has become is nothing short of remarkable. One of the most highly anticipated new pool projects, this incredible and instantly iconic pool has been written about incessantly since it was first devised.

This unique see-through acrylic wall pool sits suspended between two towers of the Embassy Gardens in London, England. Recently we had the opportunity to chat with Paul Gardner Vice President of Engineering for Reynolds Polymer, the manufacturers behind this creative and captivating new swimming pool vessel.

In preparation for our meeting, we hopped on one of our favorite social media groups Ask The Masters and found out what questions the pool industry had about the Sky Pool. There were a lot of interesting questions, which was indicative of how fascinated pool builders are about this project.

Sky Pool Has Worldwide Notoriety

We asked Gardner what it was like working on such a high visibility project. “We’re engineers and weren’t thinking about the marketing benefits that early on. Now it’s fun to be on it and we see how exciting it is from that standpoint.” said Gardner.

Given that Reynolds Polymer is a manufacturer of acrylic panels, there are very few companies around the world that could take on a project of the size and magnitude of the Sky Pool. Still, we wanted to know how Reynolds got the nod for this particular project.

A Short List of Manufacturers

Reynolds Polymer is one of a handful of companies in the world that can take on projects of this magnitude.

“Y’know when you do something crazy with acrylic, there is only a few of us that can do that and really only a few that are willing to do it from an engineering standpoint to come up with a good solution, so the field was pretty narrow to begin with.” said Gardner.

“The client came to us pretty quickly.” said Gardner, “We worked on it a long time just to make sure something like this was even feasible.” Reynolds Polymer would go on to secure the design contract as well as the engineering contract shortly after that.

Join United Aqua Group

Engineering Hurdles To Overcome

Ultimately, there are probably only a handful of companies around the world that can take on a project of this scope. “When it comes to being monolithically cast, we’re the only ones that do it like that. All of our competitors will laminate. So, they’ll take thinner sheets and glue them together. But in this case getting a monolithically cast part, enabling us to use some of our other methodologies such as signature bonds, that’s the only way you could have done it.” said Gardner.

This particular project had many engineering challenges Reynolds Polymer had to overcome. One of them was accounting for movement from the actual structure of the building. We asked Gardner what his team did from an engineering standpoint to account for settling and movement between the two buildings.

Sky Pool: Engineering of the Vessel

“The swimming pool itself is set up as really an isolated box. On both ends, the acrylic is sitting in a steel tub and that steel tub is then sitting on concrete columns and supported by bearings. The steel tub and the acrylic vessel are cinched together with 2 tension rods underneath which are the only visible structural elements that you can see other than the acrylic. That creates essentially an open top box that can float depending on the movement of the buildings.” said Gardner.

“It can also be adjusted for settling. If there was enough settling, you could get in there and adjust the height of the bearings with either some shims or whatever was necessary to get it back to level.” continued Gardner.

Reynolds Polymer monolithic casting process enabled them to create the 14-inch-thick acrylic panels for the Sky Pool.

Determining the Thickness of the Acrylic

Determining the proper thickness for the vessel encompassed doing finite element analysis, a widely used method for numerically solving differential equations arising in engineering and mathematical modeling. “We had lots of different load cases that we were looking at,” said Gardner, “By running through that and looking at like 15 or 20 load cases, we settled on a thickness. The thickness is really driven by long term stress. How much stress the acrylic can see to enable it to last for decades.”

Analysis of Natural Frequencies – Image Credit: Eckersley O’Callaghan

The acrylic itself is resting on two steel tubs on either end that is supported by cementitious grout between the acrylic and the steel shelves the entire U channel structure is sitting on.

“You don’t build this and test it and expect it to fail.” said Gardner. All of Reynolds engineering and structural analysis was confirmed by an independent third party who determined the engineering specifications were precise. The polymer system of the Sky Pool is expected to last for at least 50 years.

Some of the questions we got from the pool industry pertained to actual seismic activity that may cause the structure to shift. We also wanted to know about the usability of the Sky Pool under real world conditions.

A 3rd party structural analysis was done by Eckersley O’Callaghan

“Fortunately, London is not a very seismically active area. If there is such a thing, the pool is set on a system of bearings. It’s fixed on one side, and it’s allowed to move on the other. If there was any differential movement whether that’s seismic or heavy winds, there is ability of that structure to move independent of the pool.” said Gardner.

In playing devil’s advocate, we asked Gardner what the design entailed to keep water from the pool from splashing down below and keep the pool from freezing.

The walls of the Sky Pool are 8 feet high over the span of the center of the pool. One question we got asked is about water splashing out of the pool down on pedestrians below.

“The walls are about 8 feet high. They would have to splash it over the edge, and there is no reason they couldn’t. You have to have the safety walls up there so that people aren’t doing anything too crazy and hanging over the edge once you’re that high up. Otherwise, people could splash and get things over the edge if they get too wild.” said Gardner.

The pool itself is heated year round so the potential for the vessel freezing is nil. “The water is heated year-round so that water is never going to get an opportunity to freeze to a solid block. Plus, it doesn’t get that cold in London consistently enough to where you could have that happen.” said Gardner in responding to whether a pool freeze could cause damage.

Concealing The Plumbing

The filtration system for the Sky Pool has the pump room on one end of the two towers of Embassy Gardens so the water circulates from one side to the other. With no visible plumbing in the photos we have seen have the Sky Pool, we asked Gardner exactly how they managed to conceal all the plumbing. “You’ll notice a pedestrian bridge just north of the pool itself and there is some pipe work that runs through that pedestrian bridge that takes the water back over to the other side.”

A pedestrian bridge runs alongside the sky pool and cleverly conceals all the of pipework for the pool plumbing.

Maintaining The Sky Pool

Another big question that was on our minds as well as many other folks in the pool industry was, how do you clean and maintain a pool that high up? “Obviously the wet side is easy to get to in to clean.” said Gardner, “The dry side… we’re pushing the limits of what you can reach with a man lift on the ground. That’s the process right now. They’ve got a man lift that can go up 10 stories and somebody is cleaning it on the dry side on a regular basis.”

Getting the Sky Pool ready for transport to the Embassy Gardens took an enormous amount of planning and was a monumental undertaking involving crews on both sides of the pond.

Transporting this massive 175,000-pound acrylic structure to the Embassy Gardens in London was no easy task. “The interesting thing is when we were finally finished with it and ready to get it out of here, in Colorado we were having a bunch of wildfires. Even with the best planning and routing, we had to re-route it because the fires had shut down the highways on the route we wanted to go.” said Gardner.

Sky Pool leaving colorful Colorado on a 5,000-mile trip to its new home at the Embassy Gardens.

“We got stuck on the Texas border because Hurricane Laura was coming through Houston which was the port we were going out of. We sat on the Texas border for a day or two waiting for Laura to clear out to where the ports would open back up.” said Gardner.

We followed the progress on Reynolds Polymers social media pretty much the entire way and like many other folks in the pool industry, wondered what the permitting process and logistics process was like. As it turns out transporting the vessel was a massive undertaking that took years of planning and coordination. “Permitting takes you multiple months because we had to get all the escorts lined up. It’s not the first large project for us though. For a small town of Grand Junction, Colorado we move a lot of material out of here.” said Gardner.

It certainly isn’t the first large scale acrylic pool project Reynolds has been involved with. Other incredible projects they have undertaken over the years include world class pools and structures all over the globe.

Reynolds Polymer manufactured the 200,000-gallon aquarium in the center of the swimming pool area at Golden Nugget

Reynolds Polymer has made a name for themselves in the pool industry for manufacturing, designing, and engineering over the top see through acrylic pool vessels and aquariums. Their work is rapidly gaining traction with luxury homeowners as well who want their own version of the elaborate Sky Pool in their own backyard.

Another suspended acrylic pool Reynolds Polymer was involved with is the Intercontinental Hotel pool project in Dubai.

Due to the incredible amount of attention the Sky Pool has already received, we can imagine there will be high demand for this particular concept. “There has already been inquiries coming in for little Sky Pools” said Gardner. “I think because of the publicity of the Sky Pool, there will definitely be others that want something similar. It’s very attractive to have something that catches the eye and floating water is something that people can’t seem to get enough of.”

Listen to our entire interview with the manufacturers of the Sky Pool on the Pool Magazine Podcast

Watch a video of behind-the-scenes footage of the Sky Pool making its way from Reynolds Polymer’s factory in Colorado all the way to London in the UK.

Article Photos Courtesy of Reynolds Polymer

4.8/5 - (19 votes)

Editor in Chief of Pool Magazine - Joe Trusty is also CEO of PoolMarketing.com, the leading digital agency for the pool industry. An internet entrepreneur, software developer, author, and marketing professional with a long history in the pool industry. Joe oversees the writing and creative staff at Pool Magazine. To contact Joe Trusty email [email protected] or call (916) 467-9118 during normal business hours. For submissions, please send your message to [email protected]

Click to comment
Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Manufacturer

CCEI Taps Martin Grenier to Head North American Operations

Published

on

martin-grenier-operations-ccei

CCEI, is pleased to announce the hiring of Martin Grenier to head their North American operations. Martin has over 10 years of experience in the swimming pool industry having worked for Hayward for over 7 years plus other positions in both retail and distribution. CCEI is a manufacturer of automation and controller systems in the US as well as lighting systems in Canada, Mexico, Europe and Africa with its head office located in France.  

Martin is now responsible for operations and sales for both the company’s US and Canadian markets and is also charged with raising brand and product awareness of CCEI’s products throughout the North American pool industry. “As an established supplier in Europe, we are focused on raising awareness of our products and services with pool builders, retailers and distributors, while also working to form strategic partnerships in the US and Canada,” says Grenier.  A native of Canada, Martin is also fluent in English and French. “Martin has already made a significant impact in the Canadian swimming pool market and we are confident CCEI will continue to experience exponential growth in sales of our products in both the US and Canadian markets,” says Sébastian Chéreau, Head of CCEI’s Global Marketing. “We are pleased to have Martin join our team and share his expertise with our company as he helps align our marketing strategies and goals across all branches of CCEI around the world,” says Sébastien Chéreau, Marketing Director for CCEI.  

Since 1973, CCEI has been designing and manufacturing electrical equipment for private and public pools. Over the years, we have acquired in-depth experience with pools and their specific constraints. Starting as a manufacturer specialized in electrical boxes, CCEI has expanded to different areas, including automatic water treatment and lighting for pools.

CCEI’s technical team has also grown and now has a team with recognized skills in electronics, optics and electrochemistry. With this knowledge, CCEI is now able to provide global, adapted solutions to pool builders and industries and enhance the safety, ergonomics and reliability of pool facilities. 

Martin can be reached at the company’s offices in Montreal at:  [email protected].

More information about the company’s US operations can be found at:
www.ccei-pool.com/us/
CCEI USA Inc., Inglewood, CA 90301

 

Rate this post

Continue Reading

Pool News

PHTA ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR 2025 DR. R. NEIL LOWRY GRANT

Published

on

Honoring public health officials and departments with $5,000

(Alexandria, Va.) — The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), the trade association representing the swimming pool, hot tub, and spa industry, is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Dr. R. Neil Lowry Grant. The winners will be honored at the PHTA Awards Ceremony at the International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo in Las Vegas, NV, on October 21, 2025.

Given in the memory of Dr. Robert Neil Lowry, a long-time member of PHTA and the PHTA Recreational Water & Air Quality Committee (RWAQC), this $5,000 grant honors a public health official or department who has made outstanding contributions to advance the public’s health and safe use of recreational water in pools, spas, and waterparks through educational, safety, operational, and technical programs.

“Knowing Neil at the beginning of my career in this industry impacted me in a profound way,” says Jody O’Grady, Chair of the RWAQC. “His knowledge of applying chemistry to keep everyone safe through education was invaluable. I am proud to be chairing the committee that reviews and selects this award so his legacy, through education, will continue.”

To be considered for the Lowry Grant, the public health official or department must describe their planned or proposed program, the service provided and how it benefits public health and safety, the impact of the expected results, and how the grant funds will be used. The nomination deadline is Friday, August 1, 2025.

Past winners of the Lowry Grant include: Central Valley Health District, 2024; Craven County Environmental Health, 2023; Fishers Health Department, 2022; City of North Richland Hills, 2021; Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment, 2019; Arizona Department of Health Services, 2018; Quechan Parks & Recreation, 2017; Riverside County California Department of Health, 2016; Columbus Public Health, 2015; Middlesex-London Health Unit of London, Ontario, 2014; Brevard County Environmental Health Services Department, 2013; Sacramento County Environmental Management Department, 2012; Alexandria Health Department, 2011; City of Houston, 2010; and City of Plano, 2009.

For more information about the grant and to submit a nomination form, visit www.phta.org/lowry-grant.

About the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), a non-profit organization with more than 3,700 members from around the world, was established in 1956 to support, promote, and protect the common interests of the $36.5B pool, hot tub, and spa industry. PHTA provides education, advocacy, standards development, research, and market growth initiatives to increase our members’ professionalism, knowledge, and profitability. Additionally, PHTA promotes the use of pools by expanding swimming, water safety, and related research and outreach activities aimed at introducing more people to swimming, making swimming environments safer, and keeping pools open to serve communities. For more information, visit www.phta.org.

About PHTA’s Recreational Water & Air Quality Committee (RWAQC)
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance’s RWAQC develops and maintains verifiable science-based information regarding sanitization technology and chemical products for use in pools, spas, and hot tubs. The committee also has an important role in the development of the chemical and sanitation sections for American National Standards Institute (ANSI) PHTA standards, including the ANSI/APSP/ICC-11 American National Standard for Water Quality in Public Pools and Spas. For a current listing of Committee members or more information, email [email protected].

Rate this post

Continue Reading

Pool News

Ceramic Tile Coalition Files Anti-Dumping Appeal with USCIT

Published

on

tile-council-logo-over-pool-tile
(Clemson, SC) — On Monday, June 23rd, the Coalition for Fair Trade in Ceramic Tile (Coalition) filed a Complaint with the U.S. Court of International Trade (USCIT) following the Summons it filed on May 23rd, contesting certain aspects of the final determination issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) in its antidumping investigation of ceramic tile from India. The final determination was published by Commerce in the Federal Register as Ceramic Tile from India: Final Negative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Final Negative Determination of Critical Circumstances, 90 Fed. Reg. 17030. 

In the Complaint, the Coalition challenged Commerce’s handling of the affiliates of the largest Indian exporters, Commerce’s accepting of new information during on-site verification, and Commerce’s handling of scrap in the tariff calculation. 

“As we previously noted, by statute, Commerce is time-limited in its investigation, at a time when more trade remedy actions were launched than at any other point in Commerce’s history,” said Eric Astrachan, executive director of the Coalition. “We are truly sympathetic to the obstacles Commerce investigators faced, but we firmly believe Commerce didn’t have all the facts at hand to decide this case.” 

“In particular, for their own financial well-being, we want the importer and distributor community to be aware that any finding resulting in an anti-dumping tariff should be retroactive to April 23, 2025,” added Mr. Astrachan. “That tariff may be substantial,” noted Andrew Whitmire, trade data analyst for the Tile Council of North America. “Anyone tracking the world prices for ceramic tile knows that once Commerce has all the requisite information, a dumping tariff is entirely possible.”

About Tile Council of North America (TCNA) 
TCNA is a trade association representing manufacturers of ceramic tile, tile installation materials, tile equipment, raw materials and other tile-related products. Established in 1945 as the Tile Council of America (TCA), it became the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) in 2005, reflecting its membership expansion to all of North America. 

The Tile Council is recognized for its leadership role in facilitating the development of North American and international industry quality standards to benefit tile consumers. Additionally, TCNA regularly conducts independent research and product testing, works with regulatory, trade, and other government agencies, and publishes installation guidelines, tile standards, economic reports, and promotional literature.

Rate this post

Continue Reading

Pool News

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x