Roosevelt Island’s whimsical outdoor pool returns for summer

A sure sign of summer has debuted on Roosevelt Island: The Manhattan Park Pool Club has unveiled its 2019 technicolor pool deck, featuring the design of local artist Elizabeth Sutton. Sutton was tapped by Citi Habitats New Developments, K&Co, and Pliskin Architecture to create a mural that would cover, and bring a bit of whimsy to, the 96-foot concrete pool deck with sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline.

Sutton’s design was officially unveiled over Memorial Day Weekend, and will remain in place throughout the summer. It took Sutton and her team 60 gallons of paint in 18 different shades to create the vibrant sunburst pattern.

This is the fifth year Citi Habitats has had a hand in spiffing up the Manhattan Park Pool Club deck. Last year, the team tapped artist Technodrome1, who used only a few colors and wavelike lines to give the deck a calming candy-colored design.

Sutton, who’s a part of the NYDesigns incubator program, took a more mathematical and precise approach to her design while also calling on the Pop Art movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

Non-Roosevelt Island residents can enjoy access for a fee of $40 on weekdays throughout the season and $60 on weekends. For Roosevelt Island residents, the cost is set at $25 during weekdays and $30 on weekends.