This natural swimming pool in Sant Martí de Llémena was designed for a country house used as an event venue in an exceptional rural setting. The challenge was to create a large chemical-free swimming area, integrated into the landscape and spacious enough for comfortable lap swimming, yet with an organic geometry far removed from a conventional pool.
The design combines a gently shaped body of water, planted regeneration zones, wooden walkways and a large travertine terrace. The result is a space that serves at once as a swimming pool, water garden and meeting point for guests at the country house.
A large natural swimming pool for lap swimming
The clients requested a usable swimming area measuring at least 18 metres long by 4 metres wide. The final plans provide a main swimming length of 18.02 metres and an approximate width of 4.47 metres, within an overall swimming area of 169.49 m². Including the regeneration and planting zones, the full scheme measures approximately 34.39 metres long by 13.16 metres wide. The regular swimming lane sits within a curved perimeter that adapts the pool to the terrain and the natural character of the estate.
Access is provided by a large, curved built-in staircase. The wide steps allow a gradual entry into the water, make shared use easier during events and create a resting area before swimmers reach the full swimming depth.
Natural filtration without chemicals
The pool operates without conventional chemical treatment. Water circulates between the swimming area, the regeneration zones and the plant room, where mechanical filtration complements the natural purification provided by plants and mineral substrates.
Different planting environments were created to meet the needs of each species: permanently submerged sections, shallower margins and areas with specific substrates. This variation allows the plants to play an active role in the system while creating an aquatic landscape that changes throughout the year.
High-capacity filter and water savings
One of the project’s distinctive features is a high-capacity filter that supports the natural system. The installation simplifies maintenance and allows cleaning water to be recovered rather than discarded each time.
The circuits are distributed between several intake and return points to encourage water movement throughout such a large, irregular pool. The technical equipment is concentrated in the plant room, keeping the outdoor space clear and allowing the operation to be adjusted without intervening in the pool structure.
Designed for future conversion
From the outset, the owners wanted to retain the option of converting the natural pool into a conventional swimming pool in the future. The required circuits and connections were therefore included so the change can be made from the plant room, without structural work to the pool or new holes in the walls or floor.
This provision makes the project a flexible installation: today it operates as an ecological, chemical-free pool, but its infrastructure allows the water treatment to be adapted if the needs of the country house change over time.
Automatic cleaning for greater comfort
A thin biofilm commonly forms on submerged surfaces in a natural pool. Although it is part of the ecosystem’s balance, it can feel slippery or unpleasant to the touch. An automatic floor-cleaning system was installed to reduce it in the areas where bathers walk.
This maintains a more comfortable feel for swimmers without compromising the pool’s natural operation. The solution combines the user experience expected of an event venue with the ecological approach that defines the entire project.
Quartz, travertine and wooden walkways
The inside of the pool is finished with a seamless quartz coating, chosen for its mineral appearance and its ability to complement the green tones of the water. Outside, natural travertine with a sawn finish creates a light, nuanced surface that connects the pool with the stonework of the country house.
Wooden walkways cross and border the planted zones. As well as making circulation easier, they introduce a warm material between the water, gravel and planting and allow visitors to view the different planting levels up close.
A pool integrated into the Vall de Llémena landscape
The organic shape, planted margins and water without the artificial blue of conventional treatment make the pool feel like an extension of the garden. The surrounding mountains, woodland and fields are reflected in a surface that changes with the light and the growth of the plants.
The country house now has a natural swimming pool in Sant Martí de Llémena designed for swimming, relaxation and the activities of an event venue. It is a distinctive project combining hydraulic engineering, landscape design, natural materials and forward-looking technical planning.
The construction process
During construction, the swimming pool, circulation channels and planting areas were formed separately. Images of the process reveal the complexity of an organic geometry that, once completed and replanted, becomes fully integrated into the landscape.
