The builders behind Melbourne’s first sky pool have tested the water. Picture: David Caird
Melbourne’s first sky pool — suspended seven storeys high between two buildings — is ready to make a big splash this summer.
But you’ll want to take a deep breath before you dive into the sophisticated feat of engineering — with a see-through bottom looking down to the gardens 18.5m below.
Construction firm Hickory Group filled the unique water feature at the $300m Hawthorn Park development earlier this week, with a brave handful of the construction team testing the water out for the first time on Friday afternoon.
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Project manager Julie Radonjic said the seven-month build had been exciting, but extremely complicated with more than a year planning it.
The stainless-steel frame was made in Italy, shipped to Australia in parts, assembled on the ground and eventually winched into place whole by two cranes.
Some of the build team looking down on their handiwork. Picture: David Caird
A render showing how the pool is expected to look from below once the project is complete.
It is seated on a series of six bridge bearers “like teflon frying pans”, that allow the 140 tonne structure to move independently of the two buildings it connects.
“That was our biggest design hurdle, having it so nothing will effect the buildings,” Ms Radonjic said.
A sensor will also trigger water to be dumped into tanks below the pool during high wind events, preventing it from turning into a waterfall.
The end result is an 82,000L, 25m lap pool and a 75,000L, 35m-long family pool that’s now a part of the suburban skyline.
The development will also feature a family pool area.
The development is designed in keeping with its setting in a sought-after patch of Melbourne’s leafy east.
“It’s perfect timing with the weather, but from now until the end of the year we will be trying to get everyone away from the pool,” Ms Radonjic said.
“And projects like this are fascinating, plus at the end there’s a real sense of achievement.”
But with 10m of 80mm-thick acrylic providing a view of a drop almost the same length as a cricket pitch, Ms Radonjic admitted she would stick to backstroke in the pool.
Being developed by the Australian arm of Dahua Group, one of China’s 50 biggest developers, the 345-home, Rothelowman-designed project is expected to be finished early in the new year with residents to begin moving in from February.
A render showing inside one of the apartments.
Another image showing how residents will live.
Dahua sales manager Michael Ching said the pool had evolved from an idea to build a bridge between the two main buildings’ rooftops and future residents were already keen to try it out.
“A lot of our buyers think that it’s a cool design and could not wait to jump into the pool to feel what it’s like to swim in the ‘air’ above ground,” Mr Ching said.
“The view from the pool to the city is amazing as well.”
A handful of Hawthorn Park apartments ranging from $609,000-$2.53m are still for sale.
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