A tiered water composition shaped by the terrain
Set within a heavily wooded estate in Ontario, this custom-designed tiered overflow pool mirrors the clean geometric lines of the residence it borders. The terrain offered both complexity and opportunity: mature trees, natural slopes, and existing stone terraces gave the landscape its character – but also demanded a precise design response.
The client envisioned a pool that would combine architectural harmony, varied depths, and multiple relaxation zones – a spa, a shallow lounging area, a deep swimming lane, and above all an uninterrupted waterline. While those goals were clear, the structural and hydraulic interpretation required expert translation. That is where Morana’s role began: not only as international infinity pool designers, but as interpreters of space and flow.
The project is structured as a cascading composition. A raised spa overflows silently into the main basin below. Adjacent to it, a shallow lounging area provides relaxed immersion before the floor transitions into the deep swimming zone – a gradual slope running from 0.9 m to over 2.4 m, engineered for both casual swimming and diving. Around the entire perimeter, a deck-level mirror effect dissolves the boundary between water and stone, reflecting the Canadian sky as a continuous plane.
From every angle, the pool reads as a single flowing body – its geometry softened by water and framed by trees and sky. That apparent simplicity is deceptive. Behind the calm, continuous waterline lies a layered hydraulic challenge: managing three distinct overflow transitions at different elevations, each requiring independent flow calibration to maintain a silent, unified surface.
Cold-climate hydraulics and invisible structure
Building a high-end overflow pool in Ontario means confronting severe seasonal temperature swings and significant ground movement. The engineering must perform silently through summer heat and survive months of sub-zero freeze without structural compromise.
The perimeter overflow channels were laser-levelled to millimetre tolerances, ensuring that water displacement remains uniform and silent across all levels. Hydraulic flows were calculated to prevent turbulence and noise – a critical factor in a tiered composition where water transitions between basins at different elevations.
The entire mechanical layout positions the technical room and the balance tank at the same elevation. This configuration guarantees uniform pressure distribution and simplifies winterisation procedures, protecting the structural shell and piping network from the freeze-thaw cycles specific to the region. A fully automated system regulates water balance, overflow returns, and seasonal operation – adapting to climate conditions and usage patterns throughout the year.
Materials were selected for both performance and aesthetics: a light-reflective interior finish that enhances brightness without glare, soft-edged coping for visual continuity and bathing comfort, and a terrace finish matched to local stone tones.
Full remote engineering from Europe
This project was carried out entirely through remote consulting – a series of detailed exchanges between our engineering team in Europe and the client in Ontario. From concept to technical execution, each decision was made with care, clarity, and precision across borders.
Our technical drawings served as the sole reference for local construction crews, guiding them through every critical phase: the reinforced concrete pour, the multi-level overflow channel alignment, the pipe routing between basins, and the final calibration of the automated water level controllers. Every pipeline route, pump sizing calculation, and edge detail was finalised before ground was broken – allowing local teams with no prior overflow experience to execute a complex tiered composition to specification.
“The pool was an absolute success. The automatic pool cover installers were absolutely impressed, especially with the fact that this was my very first pool build. They said it is amongst one of the best pools they have ever seen in their careers.”
— Private estate owner, Ontario
This feedback speaks to the strength of Morana’s remote consulting model. Detailed documentation and sustained technical dialogue across borders can deliver results that match – or exceed – the standard of a locally supervised build.