Case study

Cut from Rock, Framed in Glass: The Secret Heart of New Farm

Location

New Farm

Water Type

Magnesium

Pool Size

38,000 litres

Costings

$300,000 to $350,000

Project Type

Semi-recessed concrete pool, hardscape and softscape landscaping. Completed 2015.

Special Features

About The Project

From the street, you’d never guess the calm oasis tucked behind this compact New Farm home. But step through the garden and the space opens to reveal something unexpected. A crystal-clear pool framed in travertine, a striking glass viewing wall, and a design that feels more like a boutique retreat than an inner-city backyard.
At just five metres square with a step-out and 1.8-metre depth, the pool is deliberately modest in size, but generous in impact. Every surface is fully tiled, with linen travertine surrounds laid in a classic French pattern. Mosaic tiles along the waterline and seating areas catch the light throughout the day, adding glimmer and texture. From inside the house, a three-metre Plexiglas viewing panel turns the pool into a moving canvas. It’s a feature you feel before you fully see it.
What you don’t see is the sheer effort it took to bring this vision to life. The block was steep, the ground unyielding — solid rock from edge to edge — and access was barely workable. With no room for machinery, excavation became a manual feat: jackhammers in hand, every inch carved out with determination. Spoil was hauled out, one wheelbarrow at a time, through the neighbour’s yard. Instead of forcing the site to bend to the build, the design was elevated — literally — with the pool raised to its final level, maintaining the original vision while sidestepping delays and costly, unnecessary excavation.
The result is a space that not only works but invites you to linger. A hidden Remco pool cover, strong enough to walk on, is tucked beneath the deck. In-floor cleaning, heating and full smart automation make the pool effortless to maintain. Whether you’re lighting the garden remotely or adjusting the temperature before a morning swim, everything can be controlled from a phone or smart device.

The outcome

This pool may be small, but it delivers something more meaningful. It’s quiet. It’s private. It connects home and nature through thoughtful design. Built for a busy lifestyle, but anchored in stillness, it’s a space that shifts with the day and offers something different every time you step outside.