Ocean Pools By Marie-Louise McDermott

A celebration of outdoor swimming - looking at the history, design and architecture of pools, as well as the social aspect. The 1930s architecture of the pools is often sleek and elegant, evoking speed and efficiency. And the pools themselves are great social levellers - a public space where everyone is stripped down to a bathing suit.

The book begins with a history of the pools - their grand beginnings after the buttoned-up Victorian era, their falling popularity in the 20th century, and the newfound appreciation for the outdoor pool, or lido, and outdoor swimming in the 21st century.

The book will also feature the lost lidos and the fascinating history behind the architecture of the pools, and essays on swimming pools in art, and the importance of pools in Australia. In addition there are interviews with pool users around the globe about why it is they swim. The book is illustrated throughout with beautiful colour photography, as well as archive photography and advertising.

Author Christopher Beanland