You’ll often find zero-edge pools in many fine hotels and resorts around the world, but what is a zero-edge pool?
Zero-edge pools, otherwise known as vanishing edge pools or negative edge pools, are specially built to create the illusion of the pool’s surface ‘extending to the horizon’. The water flows over a flat surface that borders the pool, making it literally look like it has no edge.
Read on to learn more about zero-edge pools, how the illusion is created, and how much they cost.
Don’t Swim Off The Edge
When you first see a zero-edge pool, you might be a little perplexed as to how they actually work. At first glance, it seems as though the water is impossibly floating, with no immediately obvious edge or border around it.
In some cases, it’ll be totally level with the ground around it, or it’ll look as though it simply runs off into the horizon. If the pool is located on a balcony, it might look as though the pool streams relentlessly off the edge of the building onto whatever sits below.
However, there’s actually a very simple explanation as to how a zero-edge pool really works, and it doesn’t involve magic. These ‘infinity’ or ‘vanishing’ edge pools are built to give the impression that there’s no separation between the water and the surrounding environment.
Imagine a waterfall: the water flows over the edge of a cliff and into a river or lake below, but from the top, it looks as though it just disappears. This is the same premise with a zero-edge pool, but there’s a little technology involved.
In a zero-edge pool, when the water flows over the edge, it’s captured in a standalone lower level that ultimately feeds back into a pump system, re-entering the pool. It’s a constant overflow and refill system that essentially serves as a permanent waterfall effect.
What you’re subsequently left with is a breathtaking pool that, if built correctly, looks as though it simply runs off into thin air. It can be a bit daunting at first, but the illusion is certainly a luxurious and desirable one.
You’ll typically find zero-edge pools in high-end hotels, resorts, and spas around the world, particularly those built within picturesque surroundings. One of the leading reasons for a zero-edge pool is to offer an uninhibited view of the landscape that stretches around the property.
It does present a slight psychological barrier at first, as you’ll need to convince yourself that you’re not about to swim off the side of a building. However, once you’ve overcome that hurdle, you’ll enjoy the experience immensely.
Zero Edge, Massive Cost
We posted an article exploring at length the cost of building a zero-edge pool, and safe to say, it isn’t cheap. They have massive labor costs, they’re often bespoke, and the technology that drives them is innovative and requires constant maintenance.
More often than not, your vanishing edge pool will have more than one infinity edge, which will require reinforced, specially-built glass. Then, there’s the pumping systems and catch basins that feed the water back into the main pool body.
Following extensive research, we determined that the average zero-edge pool could cost around seventy-nine thousand dollars. However, the expected build costs can run to as much as one hundred and thirty thousand dollars with ease.
It’s also a good idea to budget for maintenance costs, which can be considerable when you factor in repairs, cleaning chemicals, and labor. Ultimately, it’s expected that a sizeable zero-edge pool can work out to about $180 a week in maintenance.
This enormous cost is one of the driving reasons behind the exclusivity of zero-edge pools. Although they’re a gorgeous alternative to a standard pool, they are massively expensive for what they are.
However, when they’re done right, they’re absolutely stunning, and they add a touch of style to any venue. For example, there’s a five-hundred-foot long infinity pool in Singapore that’s built into the top of a hotel, offering dramatic panoramic views over the city.
In the Anantara Golden Triangle Resort in Thailand, there’s an infinity pool surrounded by plant life, giving the impression of a waterfall that drops off into the jungle. At one of the Four Seasons resorts in the Maldives, there’s a beautiful zero-edge pool that blends seamlessly into the blue ocean.
You’re not likely to find these pools in cheaper locations, so if you want to experience one, you’ll need to push the boat out a little bit. We recommend the Caribbean or the Meditteranean, where there’s plenty of hot sun and infinite pools.