A Near-Natural Spectacle

The starting point

This modern detached house in the Burgdorf area is surrounded by unspoilt nature. Years ago the garden, ringed by a generous wild hedge with individual trees, had been laid out very naturally; by now the view from the terrace fell on an unused area and called for change.

The owners wanted a new part of the garden, natural and varied, that would blend seamlessly into the existing setting. A bio pool was to be part of it and to take its formal and material language from the architecture of the house.

The solution

To create the desired reflection, the pool basin had to be black. The natural pool was executed to measure by plastics specialist Semadeni AG, with a black plastic basin and an overflow channel. This overflow construction, with water running over the sides, generates a high surface tension and reinforces the mirror effect of the water surface.

The expansion vessel sits beneath the oval timber grating that appears to rest on the water surface. The gravel body responsible for cleaning, planted and populated with microorganisms, is connected directly to the pool; the near-natural garden pond, built with an EPDM liner and the clay recovered during excavation, serves as the overflow. Two spots create a special atmosphere in the water at night.

The timber – Douglas fir and oak – comes directly from a sawmill in the Emmental and was screwed in place on site. Large oak beams are installed as seating and path elements; the steps and the seating element in the pool are made of silver fir.

The outcome

Today the sky is reflected in the bio pool and many flowering perennials make the new part of the garden shine in season. The timber walkway ends in an oval island that appears to float above the water. Surplus water from the backwash is collected in the small pond, where dragonflies, newts and many other creatures find a home.