The mental and physical health benefits of swimming are abundant. Whether you’re braving it in the open, wild waters or doing laps in the local lido – nothing beats a good swim session.

But the latest announcement about a landmark new swimming pool being built in London is actually causing people in the UK major anxiety.

A 600,000-litre pool and 55-story building, named Infinity London, have been unveiled by Compass Pools. The structure is being described as “the only building in the world to incorporate a 360-degree infinity pool”. Made from cast acrylic, the pool will feature transparent sides and floors so that visitors below will be able to see people swimming around above them.

Mock-up images of the building, which is set to be a five-star hotel, have prompted a lot of questions. The most common one seems to be: how the hell do you get in and out of it?

“I don’t know why this enrages me, but it does. How do you get in? How do you get out? If the water level gets too high does it just roll down the building like a giant goddamn ice cream cone? There’s no shade and no slide. This is flexing for the sake of flexing. Worst pool ever,” wrote one angry Twitter user.

“A 360 degree swimming pool proposed for London…for all those many 30C days we get guaranteed every year #London,” was another sarcastic but fair point raised by a Londoner.

“I cannot stand looking at it, but I keep looking at it. It makes me feel like my knees have disconnected,” added a third.

One practical Twitter user has even offered an alternative design, writing: “Bear with me on this one as I’m not a swimming pool architect, but if you wanted a 360 degree infinity pool why not just inset it and then raise it so you could still get out.”

The designers have shared much-needed answers. Apparently, a spiral staircase that rotates and rises through the water provides access for swimmers.

Still confused? (Yeah, us too…)

Compass Pool’s technical director Alex Kemsley explained how this works in more detail to HuffPost UK. “Imagine it like a tube inside a tube,” he said. “A tube will rise from the floor in order to make an airlock. The water will then drain from it and the staircase will then rise up through that to allow you to get in and out.”

There will also be built-in anemometer to monitor wind speed in the London sky, while the water will be heated using waste energy from the building’s air conditioning system.

Construction of the pool would begin in 2020 if partners and contractors are confirmed, but we’re yet to see anyone who’d be up for diving in.

Images: Compass Pools and Getty