+ POOL
Urban Swimming: A New Age for New York
Name: + POOL
Location: New York, NY
Launch Year: TBD
+ POOL, New York City, U.S.A.
In 2010, a group of dreamers proposed + POOL, a water-filtering floating swimming pool that filters the very river that it floats in through the walls of the pool, making it possible for New Yorkers and its visitors to swim in clean river water.
+ POOL was the first capital project to launch through Kickstarter, the leading crowdsourcing funding platform, raising more than $370,000 through two 30-day fundraising campaigns. Following successful testing in real-river conditions of a scaled version of + POOL’s concept in 2014, the designers incorporated Friends of + POOL as a 501c3 nonprofit organization to fund the final design, development and construction of + POOL; and ensure operations moving forward remain community-focused. As it works to provide access to the river for all New Yorkers, Friends of + POOL offers a variety of free programs including a learn-to-swim program for low income youth, in-school environmental education, and special projects, panels and exhibitions that engage the public more deeply in environmental issues.
Upon its conception, Friends of + POOL worked tirelessly to secure a site from the City of New York for its mission to provide free and safe access to the river for swimming. In 2021, the New York City Economic Development Corporation granted Friends of + POOL a notice to proceed with due diligence on its project in the waters north of the Manhattan Bridge, in the Two Bridges neighborhood. The organization is currently working on next steps to bring New Yorkers its first river-sourced swim facility at the site.