Venice Architecture Biennale 2016: the architects behind plans to create a cluster of freshwater swimming pools on the River Thames have unveiled a proposal for a floating pool on the Yarra River in the Australian city of Melbourne.
Studio Octopi was invited by Melbourne nonprofit organisation Yarra Swim Co to develop the concept for the Yarra Pool, which aims to return swimming to the urban river.
Swimming in the Yarra River used to be commonplace, with a three-mile swim race through the city taking place from 1913 until 1964, when increasing concerns about the polluted state of the river prompted its cancellation.
The proposal for a floating pool would use the Yarra's tidal properties to naturally cleanse the water and enable safe swimming throughout the year.
The project is included in a book published to accompany the Australian presentation at the Venice Architecture Biennale, where the nation's pavilion explores the history of the swimming pool and its role in Australian society.
While it is presented as a concept, Yarra Swim Co is currently in discussions with authorities and potential sponsors, and a pop-up version currently being developed could enable a trial to be conducted as early as next summer.
A patent is currently pending on a locally developed technological solution for filtering the the Yarra Pool's river water supply, for which further testing will be carried out this year.

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