London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025

This Company Is Turning Used Shipping Containers Into Custom Swimming Pools

This Company Is Turning Used Shipping Containers Into Custom Swimming Pools

Modpools upcycles shipping containers that are otherwise destined to rust and creates prefab pools for your backyard.

Stacked high on massive cargo vessels, shipping containers make lengthy journeys across the world’s oceans to deliver the goods. Many of those containers make a single trip only to be discarded upon arrival, while others get second chances as restaurants, office spaces, or homes. More recently, one American company has found yet another way to keep them from becoming waste-by turning them into backyard swimming pools.



Modpools builds self-contained, modular pools that can be used above, below, or partially in-ground. The pools come in sizes ranging from 8-by-12 feet to 12-by-40 feet.

Since being founded by Paul Rathnam in 2017, Modpools has created some seriously unusual pool designs that begin with discarded shipping containers-think pools on rooftops, pools with windows into living rooms, and pools integrated into decking. "We’re disrupting an industry and innovating an untapped space in the market between old-school traditional pools and ’70s hot tubs," claims Rathnam.



The company’s entry-level offering starts at $26,000. The company has a convenient 3D pool builder on its website that allows buyers to explore options and pricing in real time.



The shipping container pools have been installed in a variety of contexts, from coastal retreats to tight urban plots.

The idea for Modpools came to Rathnam about six years ago on a trip to Palm Springs, where he has vacationed regularly with his family over the past several years. After becoming accustomed to the pool lifestyle, he started exploring new ways to install one conveniently at his own home. Rathnam had already been converting shipping containers into office spaces, so he thought, why not a pool?



Modpools builds and ships the pools, and installation is arranged by the homeowner.

"Containers already have a complementary shape and robust engineering, making them a natural fit," he explains. Rathnam is also quick to point out the ease of installation, and boasts their sleek design when compared with other above-ground pool options.



Paul Rathnam, the founder of Modpools, says installation is easy: "Start with a good compacted gravel or concrete base, gas supply, electrical connection, and add a deck if needed-you’re ready to go," he says. "Some of our customers are swimming the same day they get their pool delivered."



Each pool is custom built and can incorporate several different features, including removable hot tub divider walls, endless swim systems, infinity edges, and large windows.



This pool has been build into a decking area and features a divider between the pool and a hot tub.

To date, the company has shipped over 850 pools to clients in North America. "The reaction to Modpools has been overwhelmingly positive," says Rathnam. "Most people love the idea of upcycling a shipping container into a swimming pool."



The containers come in two sizes and are cut down to size to fit specific settings. They can also be increased in width using leftover metal from previous orders.



Windows can be added into the side of the pool as a design feature. Modpools has even created one pool that is attached to a home and looks into the living room.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
×