Indoor pools conjure images of giant rooms dedicated to swimming, or bathroom sauna-and-spa extensions … somehow, the concept of a small pool right in the middle of your living room seems impractical, but still strangely compelling.

A retractable roof turns this portion of the elongated interior into a partial courtyard-on-demand – a modest outdoor space for a townhouse with shared party walls on either side and nowhere to access the outdoors from within, except via skylights.

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Meanwhile, area rugs in the remaining living room area mirror the aquatic blue of the flip-open pool, while glazed upper stories and staircase surrounds provide maximum visibility and light propagation throughout the home.

Suspended stainless steel BBQing appliances hang from from one wall, making the strange little interstitial spa area feel even more outdoors, despite the rather cozy windowless rest of the abode.