Mirror pools and reflecting pools in Dubai
A mirror pool is a shallow, perfectly still body of water whose only job is to reflect: the house, a palm, the sky at dusk. It is a water feature first, not a place to swim.
Free site visit · Approvals handled by us · Designed in 3D
What makes water a mirror
Water reflects best when it is still, dark beneath and filled right to the brim. A reflecting pool is therefore usually shallow, finished in a dark colour on the floor so the surface reads as a mirror rather than showing the bottom, and built with the water level at or very close to the edge. Any ripple breaks the image, so inlets are hidden and gentle, and the water is often kept level by a quiet overflow at the edge. Placed on the axis of an entrance or a main window, it doubles the façade, the planting or the sky, and gives a calm, formal centre to a garden or a courtyard.
Ways to use one
Entrance axis
A long, narrow pool leading to the front door reflects the house as you approach it.
In front of a living room window
Seen from inside, the reflection brings light and the sky closer to the room, especially at dusk.
Courtyard centrepiece
In an enclosed courtyard the still water is the main feature, framed by planting or a single tree.
Beside a swimming pool
A reflecting pool on a different level from the swimming pool can separate the active and quiet parts of the garden.
What to decide in the design
- OrientationWhat the pool reflects depends on where you stand. We test the sightlines from the entrance and the main rooms in 3D.
- Depth and finishShallow water with a dark floor gives the strongest reflection. A lighter floor shows the bottom and reads more like a pool.
- Edge detailWater filled to the brim, with a slim overflow or flush edge, gives the cleanest line.
- Wind and debrisWind ripples the surface and blows dust and leaves in. Sheltering walls and planting placed thoughtfully help keep it still and clean.
- SafetyEven shallow water is a risk for small children. Depth, edges and supervision should be considered from the start.
Still water on its own axis
A mirror pool needs an axis of its own, such as the approach to the front door or the view from a main window, because its job is to reflect what lies along that line. The two projects below use water the opposite way, for movement. Falling water keeps a surface moving, so where a garden has both, the reflecting pool gets its own basin, apart from any cascade and from the swimming pool.
More of our pool work
Project Majestic
Al Twar, Dubai · Q4 of FY2024The pool, with its cascading water feature, is the centre of the outdoor area, next to a sunken structure for gatherings.
View project →
Project Casa Colonia
The Villa, Dubai · Approx. 600 sqm · Q3 FY26 to Q4 FY26Swings hang over this pool, lit by underwater and perimeter LEDs, with rain showers and water features around it in a resort-style backyard.
View project →More of our work: YouTube · Instagram · our Google reviews
How we deliver it
Project Study
A free site visit to study the sightlines, the sun and the wind, and how the pool fits the rest of the garden.
Plan
Size, depth, edge, finish and the water system are agreed, and you receive a programme.
Visualization
The reflection is checked in 3D from the places it will be seen, before any work starts.
Execution
Our in-house team builds it with the surrounding landscape, managed by a dedicated project manager.
We apply for any approvals required; which ones apply depends on the community and the scope.
What changes the cost
- Size and shape of the pool
- Edge detail: flush, overflow or with a coping
- Floor and wall finish
- Filtration and the hidden water system
- Lighting and any jets or spouts
- Paving and planting around it
Questions and answers
What is a mirror pool?
How is it different from a swimming pool?
Does the water need filtering?
Can a mirror pool have fountains?
Will the water stay still in the wind?
Do you handle approvals?
Is it safe with children?
How long will it take?
Guides and ideas
Related services
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