“Manufacturing and engineering of the Sky Pool has pushed the envelope of what can be done in large acrylic structures,” says Paul O. Gardner, Vice President of Engineering, Quality, & Safety at Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. “The team in Grand Junction has overcome incredibly tight tolerances and requirements to arrive at a finished project that is unexplainable without seeing it. Words can’t adequately describe the finished product; it must be witnessed.”
Shipping proved to be another major task of the project. Transporting such a large structure, which weighs 122,000 pounds, from Grand Junction to London required police escorts, road closures, removal of traffic lights and street signs, as well as a full day closure of Nine Elms Lane which spans along the River Thames in London, as the pool arrived via the water.
Ballymore’s CEO Sean Mulryan said: “It was an idea that really stood out and that we thought was quite special. It’s only because of advances in technology that we’re able to do this. Swimming in it will make you feel like you’re floating in air.”
“The design and engineering that went into Sky Pool involved many people across multiple continents,” Declan McLaughlin, CEO of Reynolds Polymer says. “Sometimes you are presented with challenges that seem insurmountable, and Sky Pool was one of those. However, it inspired our organization to go above and beyond and execute an inspirational iconic idea of a floating pool. Incredibly proud to be part of this once in a lifetime legacy challenge.”
The design of Sky Pool was built to appear simple to the public, however the concept is incredibly complex. In reality, its a three-dimensional structure carrying the weight of the water, as well as sustaining its pressure, spanning across a considerable distance at height, subject to wind loads, temperature fluctuations and building movements. While the project took 4 years to complete, six months was spent just exploring the concept with plenty of discussion on design data and safety measures.
The final result is truly an engineering marvel, a one-of-a-kind floating pool, an amazing architectural statement, and one of the best examples of highly engineered acrylic in the world.
About Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc: Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. has over 35 years’ experience, and nearly 3,000 projects spanning 59 countries. Reynolds Polymer is constantly reinventing the definition of what can be done with acrylic. In addition to unique casting processes and an unsurpassed bonding technology, Reynolds Polymer’s highly trained design engineers work hard to make the impossible possible. Reynolds Polymer brings architectural and design dreams to life and has created some of the world’s most visited structures.
About Embassy Gardens:
Embassy Gardens will see the creation of over 1,500 new homes, stunning landscaped gardens, vibrant new bars and restaurants providing a variety of al fresco spaces and 130,000 ft sq. of shopping space. Phase two is being delivered by EcoWorld Ballymore and phase one, which is now complete and occupied, was delivered by Ballymore Group. Phase 3, which is also under construction, includes One Embassy Gardens, the development’s flagship commercial building, with space pre-let to Penguin Random House UK and DK Publishing and EG:HQ, a 13-storey office building which will provide 217,000 sq. ft. of contemporary, riverside office space at Embassy Gardens. The apartments at Embassy Gardens are a 10-minute walk from Vauxhall station and connectivity will be further improved with the forthcoming extension of the Northern Line, creating two new stations at Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station. Future home to the Sky Pool, Embassy Gardens is a landmark development which will establish a totally new community within central London, wrapped around the new US Embassy.
SOURCE Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc.
