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THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS
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| October 22, 2014 www.watershapes.com |
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FEATURE ARTICLE
Concrete’s Ways
It’s easy to think of concrete as a commodity and take it for granted. But that’s an impulse you should resist, notes Paolo Benedetti, who explains here why it’s important to know something about how concrete is mixed — and how to manage it from the batch plant to the backyard. [more]
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 TRAVELOGUE
The Pittsburgh park where the huge sculpture stands is a marvelous, compact space, writes Jim McCloskey. Yet there’s something about the way the tall structure has been set up as a fountain that bothers him — despite his abiding admiration for the artist. [more]
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VIDEO GALLERY
Pooled Ideas
When his clients come to the design process with strong ideas of their own, writes Lew Akins, he takes everything into careful consideration — and, as this video eloquently demonstrates, finds that it’s occasionally possible to turn those desires into pure backyard magic. [more]
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ESSENTIAL
Opening a Shell
For nearly six years, this was a project that occupied most of James Atlas‘ working life, challenging him and the staff at Platinum Poolcare Aquatech with pursuing development of a watershape complex marked by great ambition, shifting needs and innumerable revisions. Now that his work is complete and the site is finally ready for its close-ups, he guides us through a masterpiece he justly sees as his firm’s crowning achievement.
This article, originally published in January 2009, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.
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TECHNICAL BRIEFING
A Stream Comes to Life
The ‘art’ of stream building is found mostly in the final stages of construction, says Rick Anderson. Here, in the last installment of his series on streamcrafting, he walks us through the concluding steps involved in transforming a raw installation into a finished masterpiece.[more]
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WATERSHAPES WORLD
Hitting the Road
Getting ready for the national pool expo can be a bit of a chore, concedes Jim McCloskey, but it’s a small price to pay for the opportunity to see so many old friends all at once — and, this year, to reach out to a new set of acquaintances to be made from an allied industry. [more]
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Truth Stranger Than Fiction:
Putin Given Aquatics Award for Boosting ‘Peace and Friendship’
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WATERSHAPES CLASSIC
It’s Easier Being Green
In his October 2009 Aqua Culture column, Brian Van Bower came down resolutely on the side of getting in step with what was then an emerging movement — and here’s another look at why. [more]
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Rubber Pool Deck Surfaces from No Fault Sport Group
No Fault Sport Group (Baton Rouge, LA) offers rubber pool deck surfaces for use on splash pads and other waterplay areas in both indoor and outdoor applications. Available in 12 bright colors, the poured-in-place material is non-slip, seamless, permeable, porous and durable and provides a cushioned, easy-to-maintain surface that doesn’t get too hot. For details, click here.
New Robotic Pool Cleaner from Hayward Pool Products
Hayward Pool Products (Elizabeth, NJ) has added the AquaVac 500 to its line of cleaners for inground residential pools. The new, low-profile robotic unit features microprocessor-directed wall climbing and scrubbing; two cleaning modes; an out-of-water/beach-entry sensor; a 60-foot swiveling cord; and a power supply with an integrated timer. For details, click here. .
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THE AQUATIC QUIZ
USA Swimming Suspends Olympian
Michael Phelps After Arrest for DUI
Many water-related stories have been in the news of late — including reports connected to the three questions below.
1. Earlier this month, champion Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps was suspended from competition by USA Swimming after he was arrested for DUI. The organization said Phelps had violated its code of conduct. According to a report in usatoday.com, how long will the suspension last?
a. Six months b. Nine months c. 12 months d. 15 months.
2. Six Israeli men — ages 42 to 66 — recently swam 236 miles in the Mediterranean, from Cyprus to their home country. Upon completing the swim, they claimed the world open-water relay record, an assertion that must be certified by Guinness World Records. Which of the following, according to timesofisrael.com, did they not say was a problem they encountered?
a. Jellyfish b. Sharks
c. Low water temperature (they wore only swim trunks) d. Floating plastic bags.
3. Dr. Evans Boney, director of marketing at CandyWarehouse.com and creator of a new computer program that determines how many candies can fit into any given space, has calculated the number of M&Ms it would take to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool. And the answer, reports virtual-strategy.com, is . . .
a. 2.4 million b. 24 million c. 2.4 billion d. 24 billion.
To find out how many you got right, click here.“
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