Private oasis: Pool in the desert encourages reflection

California – In the middle of the Mojave Desert, a couple of hours’ drive from Los Angeles, is a pool waiting for anyone to find and take a dip.

The eleven-by-five-foot water-filled structure is an art installation, Social Pool, created by Austrian-born artist Alfredo Barsuglia in conjunction with the MAKCenter for Art and Architecture. People who want to visit the pool must make a reservation at the MAKCenter, upon which they will receive the GPS coordinates to the spot in the desert as well as a key to open the protective cover of the pool. There are no signs or indications on the road to the pool: it is a journey that is meant to engender 'time to reflect on social values, dreams and reality' according to the artist.

'Social Pool was conceived as an experience encompassing a potentially transformative journey, a promise of relaxation, the peace of remoteness, all while staying tuned in' reads the MAK Center brochure. The installation combines the desire to digitally detox with the contradictory need to share everything – it is an immersive experience perfect for social media sharing.

For more about this search for remoteness in a constantly connected world, especially when travelling, read our New Sublimity Tourism microtrend.