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Farmhouse, Pajottenland · 2025
The orchard that stayed
A swimming pond between old fruit trees, without touching a single root.
- Type
- Natural pool · Outdoor living
- Situation
- Renovation · Country house
- Dimensions
- 12 × 4 m · 38 m²
- Build time
- 11 weeks
- Year
- 2025
Starting point
A renovated farmhouse with a forty-year-old orchard. The land slopes gently to the south.
The wish
“We want to swim without chlorine, and the trees have to stay.”
The answer
The swimming zone follows the long axis of the farmhouse; the regeneration zone follows the row of trees. A buried biofilter keeps the water clear. The bluestone terrace meets the kitchen door.
Design choices
- 01
Sightline
From the kitchen you look across the water to the trees.
- 02
Level
The water sits 15 cm below the terrace, so the edge disappears.
- 03
Roots
Hand excavation within the canopy zone, no heavy machinery.
Materials
- Belgian bluestone, honed
- Thermowood deck
- Corten steel edging
- Marginal plants and grasses
Engineering
- Buried biofilter
- Variable-speed circulation pump
- Skimmer and leaf trap
Have a similar project in mind?
We would be glad to talk about what is possible in your garden.
