Good Thinking

Floating +Pool would let New Yorkers swim in the river

Floating +Pool would let New Yorkers swim in the river
The Plus Pool is a proposed floating swimming pool, that would allow New Yorkers to swim in filtered river water (Image: Pool)
The Plus Pool is a proposed floating swimming pool, that would allow New Yorkers to swim in filtered river water (Image: Pool)
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The Plus Pool is a proposed floating swimming pool, that would allow New Yorkers to swim in filtered river water (Image: Plus Pool)
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The Plus Pool is a proposed floating swimming pool, that would allow New Yorkers to swim in filtered river water (Image: Plus Pool)
The Plus Pool is a proposed floating swimming pool, that would allow New Yorkers to swim in filtered river water (Image: Plus Pool)
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The Plus Pool is a proposed floating swimming pool, that would allow New Yorkers to swim in filtered river water (Image: Plus Pool)
The Plus Pool is a proposed floating swimming pool, that would allow New Yorkers to swim in filtered river water (Image: Pool)
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The Plus Pool is a proposed floating swimming pool, that would allow New Yorkers to swim in filtered river water (Image: Pool)
The Plus Pool is a proposed floating swimming pool, that would allow New Yorkers to swim in filtered river water (Image: Plus Pool)
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The Plus Pool is a proposed floating swimming pool, that would allow New Yorkers to swim in filtered river water (Image: Plus Pool)
The Plus Pool is a proposed floating swimming pool, that would allow New Yorkers to swim in filtered river water (Image: Plus Pool)
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The Plus Pool is a proposed floating swimming pool, that would allow New Yorkers to swim in filtered river water (Image: Plus Pool)
The Plus Pool is a proposed floating swimming pool, that would allow New Yorkers to swim in filtered river water (Image: Plus Pool)
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The Plus Pool is a proposed floating swimming pool, that would allow New Yorkers to swim in filtered river water (Image: Plus Pool)
The Plus Pool's proposed filtration membranes (Image: Plus Pool)
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The Plus Pool's proposed filtration membranes (Image: Plus Pool)
The four modules of the Plus Pool could serve various purposes (Image: Plus Pool)
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The four modules of the Plus Pool could serve various purposes (Image: Plus Pool)
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It's a hot summer day, you're sweaty and uncomfortable, and there's a river full of cool, clear water right beside you. Do you jump in? Not if you're in New York City, as the rivers that flow through that city are too polluted for swimming ... or at the very least, that's the perception that most people have of them. Three young entrepreneurs, however, have proposed a way of getting New Yorkers into the Hudson, East and/or Bronx Rivers. It's called the +Pool (Plus Pool) - a public swimming pool that would float in the river, allowing people to swim in filtered river water.

The +Pool is the brainchild of architect Dong-Ping Wong, and designers Archie Lee Coates IV and Jeffrey Franklin.

The 9,000 square-foot (836 sq.m.) pool itself would consist of four modules, which would be joined together into a + configuration - hence the name. This shape would allow for it to be divided into a Children's Pool, Sports Pool, Lap Pool and Lounge Pool, although two end-to-end modules could also serve as an Olympic-length lap pool, or the whole thing could just be used for splashing around.

The four modules of the Plus Pool could serve various purposes (Image: Plus Pool)
The four modules of the Plus Pool could serve various purposes (Image: Plus Pool)

River water would flow into the pool through permeable walls, which would be composed of three layers. The first layer would filter out things such as wildlife, debris, oil and sediments. The second layer would stop finer particles, including algae, bacteria and suspended solids. The third and final layer would kill bacteria and viruses.

Since the concept was launched last June, there has reportedly been a lot of interest in it. Engineering firm Arup even contacted the trio, volunteering its resources for project development. Wong, Coates and Franklin are now working on building a partial pool, to test the filtration system and to demonstrate the feasibility of the idea to the City of New York. Ultimately, they hope to have the complete pool up and running by 2012.

The Plus Pool is a proposed floating swimming pool, that would allow New Yorkers to swim in filtered river water (Image: Plus Pool)
The Plus Pool is a proposed floating swimming pool, that would allow New Yorkers to swim in filtered river water (Image: Plus Pool)

They are currently trying to raise funds, in order to make it all happen. People interested in donating can visit the +Pool webpage.

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17 comments
17 comments
dsiple
I seem to remember a pool that was created using a barge somewhere, so this doesn\'t seem so original, though the shape is different.
Hamish Robertson
That\'s such a great idea. It makes use of an existing resource in a novel way and provides a healthy and fun activity for community. It also looks great and is sure to become a tourist attraction as well.
Gadgeteer
It\'s a perception of pollution? You\'ve obviously never walked anywhere near the East River. The stench is often unbearable.
This idea is a non-starter. What keeps pollutants out will also keep pollutants in, unless you make everyone shower before jumping in.
Arrow
So how is it anchored or held in place with the current and all?
redwee
The Pool is so cool and i want to swim in it! lap pool
Martin Rayner
We would need some sort of heating of the water for people to risk getting into an English Lake District lake.
Robert Guimont
Since the wall are permeable, I would suspect the water can flow both in and out so that there would be a constant water exchange to \"refresh\" the pool water.
xLSDx
@Gadgeteer Yeah, I\'m sure the people who designed this never considered something as basic as filtration and chlorination. Way to keep an open mind...
Zach Stein
What I\'m worried about here isn\'t so much the bacteria and oils, but more so the dissolved organic pollutants known to be in the rivers around NY. Your benzene, artificial hormones and other nasties...
Daliya Robson
looks great.
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