The Concrete Square Tube House in Kyoto, designed by Eastern Design Office, sits between traditional Japanese houses. But it's the pool on top that's turning heads in this town.

Imagine an enormous pool suspended high above the house – you're right, this is no ordinary rooftop pool.

The house, in Kyoto, Japan, is made up of square-edged concrete tube volumes that stack up, each slightly staggered from the one below. But it's the top "tube" that's catching the eye of passers-by.

Because the entire top tube is a cantilevered swimming pool, with a glass end and a glass bottom panel that provides a view right down through the house, which was designed by East Design Office.

The ground floor (or first floor) is an entrance area, a space that runs through from the front door to the back garden. A maple tree is planted at the centre line of the square tube.

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On the second floor, two fully lined tubes contain three bedrooms and one walk-in-closet, while on the third floor, two tubes are connected to create one spacious living floor.

The fourth, top floor features a square window that "expresses" the end of the last "fake" tube. This tube accommodates the pool that runs from front to back. Two lights under the pool bring sunlight and reflection of the moving water down into the third floor.

"When looking at the tubes from the front, it seems they are stacked without overlapping," the architect says. "The square tubes serve as cantilevers. On the second floor the cantilever is 5.5m, and on the third floor it is 3.6m."

The architect says the tubes themselves are strong structural elements that allow large openings at the edge.

KOISHI TORIMURA The pool appears to be very deep, thanks to the glass bottom above the living area.

On the third floor, two large openings in the ceiling are positioned under the pool above. The light that comes in from two top lights in the pool changes colour and moves around the room depending on the time of day and season.

"The light that comes in from these openings is flickering due to the movement of the water, and it brings a wavering light into the room. We can see people swimming on the fourth floor from the living room.

"The fake window on the fourth floor frames the city landscape like scenery in a picture, making it a symbolic view."

KOISHI TORIMURA At night, the living area is illuminated by a light in the pool above.

KOISHI TORIMURA A large square is punched out of the ceiling in the living area, which comprises two adjacent concrete tubes. It's possible to see swimmers through the cut-out.