For many New Yorkers, the idea of swimming in the East River is far from enticing — the body of water has been deemed “unswimmable” since the 1930s due to its high levels of pollution. However, that may soon change thanks to an exciting new project called + POOL, which will clean the river water in a sustainable way.
Recently approved by city planners, the project will feature a plus-sign-shaped floating swimming pool that seeks to reintroduce New Yorkers to the waters of the East River while delivering a positive environmental impact along the way.
The radical idea of building an Olympic-size public pool in the East River is the brainchild of a team of four designers who have been working on making the dream a reality since 2010. Nearly a decade later, + POOL has now received an official “confirmation to proceed with due diligence” from New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and can go ahead with logistics planning.
According to the current proposal, the project would filter as much as 600,000 gallons of polluted water from the East River daily, taking its impact beyond offering New Yorkers a fun and safe place to swim. The current proposal demonstrates that it would be able to act as a public pool and possibly be available for organized events.
Image source: PlayLab
