In a masterclass of simplicity and true artistry, this recent pool house project has brought spirituality to the pool, thanks to a few innovative design choices. British studio Klas Hyllén Architecture was tasked with adding a new building, the Malvern Pool House, to a home in Warwickshire.
“We wanted it to feel almost monastic,” explains Klas Hyllén in a statement to Dezeen. “Inspiration came from quite austere spaces such as the Sankt Petri Church in Klippan, Sweden, by Lewerentz or the Bishop Edward King Chapel by Niall McLaughlin.”
How did they achieve this “monastic” feel? By adding a crown of sorts to the pool itself. Complete with curved edges and buff-brick exteriors, the roof of the pool house draws up toward its peak, which is cut by a narrow skylight, letting pool users glance up at a sliver of the sky, day or night.
The pool itself is contained by the structural walls of the Malvern Pool House, a design choice that proved to be a team effort. “We met with six specialist pool contractors who all said we couldn’t use the main structure as the pool walls — they all wanted us to build the pool ‘within’ the pool house and have a void below the floor for services,” Hyllén shares. “It’s thanks to the collaboration between the design team, the site manager and the nocompromise attitude of the client that we managed to achieve a pool which is entirely contained within the outer walls of the building itself.”
Between the seamless architecture and the use of a broad panoramic window that lets in more light and connects the pool users to the landscape, the Malvern Pool House is a divine addition to the world of pools, reminding us of the spiritual wholeness that can come from a swim.
“It’s all about the senses, acoustics, temperature, tactility and the smell of water on brick, which gives off a very pleasant mineral scent,” explains Hyllén. “The most significant moment is probably floating on your back while taking in the exquisite timber. It’s backstroke only here as you stargaze into the cosmos for a spot of night swimming.”
This article first appeared in the August 2025 issue of AQUA Magazine — the top resource for retailers, builders and service pros in the pool and spa industry. Subscriptions to the print magazine are free to all industry professionals. Click here to subscribe.
