Craving a pool day? Dive into these stunning poolscapes from chief architect Marc Camens, which swim far beyond the reaches of the typical square, recreational feature in a backyard. While pools are nearly ubiquitous in the homes he designs in the Coastal Carolinas — which is to say that nearly 100% of his 100-plus custom homes have pools — their ubiquity does not mean that each one isn’t entirely unique.

That’s because Camens considers pools to be an integral part of architectural design — as much as a home’s four walls! — and, as such, the pool takes on an entirely elevated meaning. Just as he wraps each home around the way the owner lives, so too are the pool and the outdoor living spaces completely customized to the people using them as well as to the surrounding environment.

At One with the Environment

Maximizing outdoor living space in the Coastal Carolinas is of premier importance; everyone wants to be outside or, at the very least, taking in the view! 

Pools with beautifully customized outdoor spaces around a home blur the line between the interior and exterior — and Camens often organizes and orientates the floor plan to encompass the pool as an outward focal point. 

But pools not only serve as this transitional point between the interior and exterior, they’re also a connection point to the ocean, the horizon line, and the sky. Sometimes Camens even designs them to take on organic, curved shapes, to better flow with the natural landscape around them.

Pools As a Sensory Experience

 Water is such an elemental piece of humanity and its strength inherently lies in its ability to engage the senses: sight, sound, touch. It’s nurturing, restorative, and even energizing, providing a spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical experience. 

By extension, well-designed pools become an incredible water element for architectural design and can serve many purposes in a home — from recreational fun to Zen spaces of meditation and calm. They also can activate color, reflectivity, and soothing white noise.

Pools in Practice

A prime example of Camens’ attention to detail in maximizing a pool and its view is Royal Beach. In this property, the pool is unique because it’s raised above the dunes, ensuring the ocean is still visible while swimming. To achieve this elevation, he and the owner climbed a ladder several times to ascertain the best height and vantage point for the pool.

In another property, Classy Coastal, the first level is an entertainer’s dream with expansive outdoor dining, seating, and lounge zones all centered around the infinity-edge pool — sometimes called an endless edge or disappearing edge pool — with an uninterrupted gaze to the ocean. The owners also enjoy the patio off the primary bedroom on the second floor and there are viewing decks on levels two and three, as well. 

Another prime example of the infinity edge pool is Somerset Point. The illusion here is that the water is flowing into the body of water that lies beyond, creating a beautifully uninterrupted line of sight.

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At Camens Architectural Group, we love activating the power of a pool in Coastal Carolinas architectural design. Let’s chat about your indoor and outdoor living dreams and begin personalizing a space that’s perfectly suited to you.