Rounded rectangle

The rectangle, softened — friendlier without losing swim length

A rounded rectangle keeps almost all of the rectangle's swimmable water but rounds the corners into generous fillets. The result reads softer in a garden, is gentler on swimmers, and the corners no longer trap debris the way sharp ones do. It's the shape we default to in the designer.

• Family pools
• Gardens that mix lawn and paving
• First-time pool owners