WaterShapes

The web site for all professionals and consumers who've made or want to make water a part of their lives

Gold Sponsors

Photo courtesy Questar Pools & Spas, Escondido, Calif.
Photo courtesy H2Oarts, Santa Paula, Calif.
Photo courtesy Hess Landscape Architects, Lansdale, Pa.
Photo courtesy Design Ecology, Austin, Texas
Photo courtesy Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pa.
Photo courtesy Huntington Library, San Marino, Calif.
Photo courtesy Rock Solid Tile, Calabasas, Calif.
Photo courtesy Hughes Water Gardens, Wilsonville, Ore.

Affairs of the Art

Completing projects of singular beauty for high-end clients is a passion for Arizona watershaper Steve Oliver, and those clients return the favor by granting him a tremendous level of creative freedom. That’s surely the situation with the watershape seen here, where Oliver has sifted through a range of rich and contrasting elements to create a composition that’s as much a work of art as it is a pleasant place to go swimming.

The Magic Carpet

Brought in on what was originally a simple resurfacing job, Jimmy Reed, Alison Terry and Dave Penton ended up completely reworking this backyard. In Part 1, we look at what it took to convert a sad, old pool into a vibrant, highly textured work of art fully suited to a great setting.

Urban Renewal

Long neglected, the man-made pond and stream located just a few miles from downtown Philadelphia needed help, big time. As Scott Christie reports, doing so meant carefully digging into the site's history -- and aligning every detail with the client's childhood memories.

Creative Linkage

Faced with a blank slate and a design-oriented, home-builder client, Juliet Wood listened closely and created just the sort of backyard fun zone the homeowner wanted for active children -- not to mention a place to entertain friends, work with clients and find herself some relaxation.

Entertaining Possibilities

If there's one thing he's learned in completing projects for clients who can afford whatever they want, it's that planning is the key. But before that, notes Ryan Hughes, he needs a design that makes sense, suits the site and gives him every opportunity to pursue both fun and beauty.

Monumental Pride

Working on major projects is always good for company morale, notes Denise Housler. But in this case, the fact that it was a monument meant to commemorate veterans from their own county kicked both their emotions and their desire to nail the details up by several notches.

Shaping an Environment

Wrapping up a four-part series with a look at a project he's been covering detail by detail, Kurt Kraisinger pulls it all together by unveiling the completed poolscape -- and offering some concluding observations on working with clients while keeping an eye on design integrity.

Safe Havens

While focusing on naturalistic watershapes and finely crafted garden spaces, northern California’s Rick Driemeyer has developed an unusual specialty in creating environments that are safe and nurturing for a variety of animal species. This wrinkle, he says, allows him to explore his passion for nature, but it also informs his plant choices, determines the configurations of his watershapes and necessitates unusually close interaction with clients.

Heritage Trails

The restoration of historic watershapes can be both exciting and satisfying, says engineer and commercial pool specialist William N. Rowley. But, he adds quickly, it can also be incredibly challenging as well, raising a host of issues few watershapers ever confront in their careers. To highlight these considerations, he discusses three California properties he’s recently helped rejuvenate, defining what it took to restore them to their former glory.

Feeling Right at Home

Hitting the road can be a good thing, observed Stephanie Rose in her Natural Companions column from ten years ago this month. Here's a look at why she sees so much value in fresh perspectives.

Mist and Mystery

It isn't too often that Jim McCloskey comes across a watershape that is truly different -- something he's never even considered before. That's why he was so happy to find this one while visiting the campus of a famous eastern university on a warm summer's day.

Adding the Beauty of Stonework

In his review of Stone Designs for the Home by John T. Morris (with Candice Walsh), Mike Farley writes, ‘There’s a beautiful irony in Morris’s approach: He uses ancient materials, ancient techniques and ideas borrowed from ancient structures to inspire his projects — but the results are unlike anything that’s ever been seen before. To me, that’s his greatest achievement.’

CRYSTAL FOUNTAINS VIDEO SHOWCASE

Click 'play' to watch the current showcase video

New Products at Watershapes.com

CMP Introduces Line of Copper Scuppers

Fountain Systems & Equipment
Product information from CMP on its new line of copper scuppers for pools, spas, water walls and other waterfeatures.

Outdoor Living Systems & Accessories
Product information from Westminster Teak on its stackable Horizon double chaises for resort and spa applications.

Aquatic Technologies Offers Epoxy Pool Surface

Construction Systems & Materials
Product information from Aquatic Technologies Group on AquaGuard 5000, an epoxy coating for pool and spa inetriors.

Pool/Spa Systems & Equipment
Product information from Waterway on its Power Defender 270 dual-voltage, variable-speed pump for watershape applications.

Rico Rock Launches Poolside Climbing Wall

Outdoor Living Systems & Accessories
Product information from Rico Rock on its new, cast-concrete climbing wall/waterfalls features for poolside applications.

Pool/Spa Systems & Equipment
Product information from Fiber Creations on Pool Stars Kits to add twinkling lights to the walls and floor of pools and spas.

Seats at the Table

WaterShapes World (blog)
A pair of articles featured in this edition of the WaterShapes newsletter prompted Jim McCloskey to think about collaboration -- and how much progress watershaping professionals have made in the realms of design and project development through the past 20 years.