New Vancouver swimming pool not for the faint of heart

Sky-high pool: Glass-bottom amenity makes a splash A glass-bottomed pool connecting the Arc condominium towers is not for anyone afraid of heights, but plenty are itching to take the plunge.

Anyone afraid of heights will likely steer clear of a lofty new glass-bottom pool in downtown Vancouver.

Billed as the highest swimming pool of its kind in the country, it is suspended 200 feet above and connects the two towers of The Arc condominiums.

Concord Pacific is behind the project and told its architects to create something provocative.

“The client wanted something significant, something iconic” said Mehran Parnian of Francl Architecture.

Many towers downtown look similar, and the city is encouraging bold and dramatic designs.

“Even the residents and the buyers are recognizing that we have a sameness starting to happen,” said Peter Webb of Concord Pacific. He feels large developers need to “step it up”.

“We really need to express ourselves more architecturally,” he said.

The idea of for the pool came up at a meeting, Webb said, as a way to make The Arc unique and provide more amenities to buyers. Everyone was on board.

Not everyone will take the plunge though. The sign indicates the pool is five feet deep in some spots, but it looks like it drops 20 storeys below.

A thick slab of acrylic keeps the pool in place, and the builder says the floor can support 1,650 cars.

But sorry, the pool party is only for owners of The Arc and their friends and family.