A Dramatic Contemporary Pool House in Westport

Tanner White Architects designed this sleek, low-slung pool house with various functions in mind. One side contains space for lounging, while the other features a kitchenette, bath, and changing room. Between the two, a sitting area overlooks the pool as well as the tennis court on the other side.

Builder Zibi Surowiec envisioned a waterfall feature that allows water to spill from the roof into the pool below.

At the opposite end of the pool is another lounge area with retractable screens that is decked out with a fireplace, television, barbecue, and pizza oven.

A pool house presents the perfect opportunity to think outside the box—or in this case, the typical four walls. And that’s just what architect Tanner White did when tasked with designing a Westport family’s pool house in conjunction with their new main residence.

After an eight-month search, the couple settled on a large plot of land with an older home that was past its prime. “This site was a dream scenario,” says White. “It’s a sizable lot with relatively flat land. The clients didn’t have a particular style in mind, so they allowed us to explore something different. All they knew was that they didn’t want anything traditional.”

While conceiving the pool house, spa, and pool—a luxe oversize version that measures twenty by fifty feet—White took into account an existing tennis court the clients refurbished as well as an outdoor living space off the new main residence’s family room. The pool is situated between this outdoor living area—which features retractable screens, heaters, and a fireplace—and the pool house. The tennis court sits on the other side of the pool house.

The structure itself consists of two separate 300-square-foot boxes connected by a flat roof system and flanking an open-air sitting area. One box contains a lounge with a television, and the other houses a kitchenette, bath, and changing room. “The design is multifunctional, with the interiors opening onto the pool and the middle space also serving as a viewing area for the tennis court,” explains the architect. “The aesthetic is in keeping with the house, but leans more modern. There are floor-to-ceiling windows, clean lines, and a flat roof that doesn’t block the view of the tennis court from the main house.”

One of the more unexpected—and dramatic—elements comes courtesy of Kramer Lane Construction’s Zibi Surowiec, who dreamed up the idea of a waterfall that spills from the roof into the pool below. “I hadn’t done anything like this before, but we were able to design an eighteen-foot-long trough for the water,” says Surowiec, who also oversaw the installation of all the smart technology, from the lighting and audio to the retractable screens and bifold door systems. “It’s a lot to pack into a small structure without it looking bulky,” says White. “There’s an art to it.”

Projet Team
Architecture and landscape design: Tanner White Architects
Interior design: Lori Margolis Interiors
Builder: Kramer Lane Construction