Sample Page

The Poolrooms, also known rarely as poolcore,^[1] are a fictional liminal space and Internet aesthetic consisting of a (seemingly infinite) labyrinth of pristine, white-tiled indoor swimming pools. Originating from the “Dream Pools” series of 3D renderings by the American artist Jared Pike in 2020, the concept gained widespread popularity online and has since expanded beyond Pike’s original work through fan creations, online communities and adaptations in video games and film. While often interpreted as unsettling or disorienting—and associated with liminal horror—some viewers find depictions of the Poolrooms to be calming and serene, as well as evoking a sense of nostalgia. The Poolrooms have also been adapted by some Internet users as an extension or part of the Backrooms—a fictional location usually portrayed as an impossibly large or endless extradimensional complex of empty rooms, accessed by exiting reality. An adaptation of the Poolrooms briefly appeared in the 2026 psychological horror film Backrooms, directed by Kane Parsons and an adaptation of his web series based on the Backrooms.

In 2020, the New York-based visual artist and graphic designer Jared Pike, a 2016 graduate from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, commenced a series of 3D renderings of seemingly endless hallways and rooms of indoor swimming pools with white-tiled floors and walls called “Dream Pools”.^[2][3] Drawing inspiration from the liminal spaces and vaporwave aesthetics, he reimagines the swimming pools as “surreal, discomfiting places”^[2] by including dark (poorly lit, shadowy) areas not seen in real indoor swimming pools, tiles which appear too uniform and pristine, clear blue-green waters and bizarre room proportions.^[2][3]

Designing these rooms with the software program Blender, Piker initially started the series during the COVID-19 pandemic to improve his 3D modelling skills.^[2][3] Upon releasing the series on Instagram, however, the images went viral; Internet users were intrigued by the concept and began creating their own explanations and fan theories (lore) regarding these rooms, including connecting them to the Backrooms (from where the name Poolrooms is derived).^[2][4] The success of Piker’s Dream Pools lead to the concept expanding beyond his original work.^[2] Fans of the initial concept began creating their own Poolrooms, with YouTubers uploading video compilations of eerie indoor swimming pools—ranging from digital renders to real life photographs.^[4]

In 2024, the horror walking simulator video game Pools was released by Finnish developer Tensori in which the protagonist explores a vast, labyrinthine pool complex.^[5] Inspired by Pike’s Dream Pools among other works—including those by Backrooms artists—the game is presented as a VHS found footage piece and has no story, with the player exploring the environment on foot, through swimming, walking up staircases and using water slides. There are no enemies nor antagonists that can attack the player, and there is no music; the only sounds present in the game are those of the echoes of the environment and footsteps made by the player.^[6][7][8] The Poolrooms are also featured in the cooperative horror video game Escape the Backrooms, where they appear as a separate level—Level 37.^[9]

The 2026 psychological horror film Backrooms, directed by Kane Parsons and an adaptation of his web series based on the Backrooms, briefly features his adaptation of the Poolrooms.^[10]

The Poolrooms are cited as an example of a liminal space.^[2][4] Marcel Mensah of LONER Magazine compared the Poolrooms to the dreamcore and weirdcore Internet aesthetics.^[1] The familiar yet uncanny appearance and nature of the Poolrooms is regarded by some as inherently eerie or frightening, making them an example of liminal horror. In contrast, others find the Poolrooms to be comforting or relaxing (serene), and have said that it evokes a sense of nostalgia.^[3][11] Most depictions of the Poolrooms do not include any entities (living creatures).^[4][10] Piker has stated his disagreement for the extended depictions of his original Pool Dreams images that remove the element of mystery, saying that “If you saw what’s lurking behind certain corners or in the shadows, then you wouldn’t find them to be very scary.”^[11]

The Poolrooms have also been noted for their similarity to the Backrooms—a fictional location usually portrayed as an impossibly large or endless extradimensional complex of empty rooms, accessed by exiting reality. The Poolrooms have been adapted into the Backrooms by some users, who often depict the area as having lukewarm water and as a separate “level” within the Backrooms—known as Level 37.^[2][11][12] In Parsons’ Backrooms (2026), the Poolrooms appeared as a section of the Backrooms rather than a separate level.^[10] Users also share photographs of strange or serene swimming pools similar to the aesthetic on the subreddit (online discussion forum) r/poolrooms; some posts are directly connected to the Backrooms whereas others pertain simply to the general concept.^[10]

• minimalism
• uncanny valley

• “Dream Pools” by Jared Pike
• r/poolrooms on Reddit