New York: This floating pool will make it possible to bathe in the city

It is well known that the city of New York, in the worst months of the summer, can become a pot of unbearable heat. And the river, however liberal New Yorkers consider themselves, is not an option.

The East River, one of the two arteries that border the island of Manhattan, comes from the industrial suburbs and runs through one of the largest cities on the planet; It doesn’t seem like the ideal place for a summer dip. In fact, the river’s waters ceased to be suitable for bathing as early as in the 20s of the last century.

But the Innovation and sustainability, a marriage that increasingly introduces urban planning solutions, could put an end to one of the “no-go zones” in the Big Apple.

A group of four entrepreneurial friends proposed a creative and efficient solution, which also contributes to the water sanitation. It is a floating pool, of enormous proportions, that is going to anchor just north of the famous Manhattan Bridge, which connects the East Village with one of the hipsters fashionable in Brooklyn, the Dumbo area.

The pool, which will have the shape of a positive sign in honor of the name of the project of these four friends, will be able to filter almost 2,300,000 liters of water per day. Without using chemicals or additives of any kind, the idea is that the river water enters through the walls of the pool, through filter materials that were tested in conjunction with Columbia University. That way, is filled with the same river water, enabling a summer leisure center for a city with little “pool tradition”. In turn, the idea is to divide the four parts of the pool in areas for boys, sports, a part for competition and another for leisure. As it will be tied to the river bed with ropes and pilings, the structure is similar to that of an anchored shipSo you’re not at risk in hurricane season or New York’s harsh winter weather.

On Instagram times, moreover, seems to be the ideal place for a summer getaway that includes cooling off, but also uploading stories or tik-tok’s in a photogenic place, floating at the foot of the New York forest of glass.

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The friends Archie Lee Coates Y Jeff Franklin, from the design company PlayLab, and Dong-Ping Wong Y Oana Stanescu, from the Family architecture studio, came up with the idea for the + POOL project in 2010. The project, however, has its difficulties: it required years of testing, fundraising and design work, in conjunction with recognized professionals in each area. After many years of work, + POOL finally proved that its technology works and got permission from New York City in March. Now, there is between US $ 20 million and US $ 25 million to begin the installation.

“We got approval, we were assigned a seat, and we even got the mayoral candidates talking about it,” Kara Meyer, project manager, told Curbed magazine.

However, he acknowledges that construction would take about two years. There is still a short time for New Yorkers to have a summer paradise, chic and sustainable.

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