Degrees of Separation
‘Through the past few months,’ wrote Brian Van Bower in April 2005 to open his Aqua Culture column, ‘I’ve run across several representatives of the pool and spa industry who have expressed concern that some of us in the business of educating watershapers are encouraging landscape architects to move in the direction of the pool industry’s traditional market.
“I can understand the anxiety. After all, landscape architects are degreed professionals in a closely related exterior-design field and have been academically trained in principles of design, while most of us in the mainstream pool and spa industry have no such background or relevant certification.’ He continued:
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‘But when you step back and look at the watershaping trades and the true state of education in our field, there’s much to be said in favor of an argument that mainstream pool professionals actually have very little to fear from increasing participation in “our” market by landscape architects and designers.’
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‘The hard fact is that no college anywhere offers a degree in watershaping. . . . [L]andscape architecture is perhaps the most directly related field of academic study, but even there, one thing we hear all the time from graduates of those programs is that they offer little or no watershape-related coursework. What this means is that every single one of us in the watershaping business – pool industry or landscape trades – comes at this activity without the benefit of any focused academic training.’
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‘This isn’t to say that education has no value. The truth is quite the opposite, and those with degrees . . . are given tremendous stocks of knowledge they can translate from their training and apply to watershaping. They must adapt and repurpose what they know, [which] they can do because they’ve been taught to keep on learning and growing for the duration of their careers.’
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‘When the talents of designers are combined with solid construction experience, there exists an opportunity to create truly spectacular work. . . . For my part, I want to be learning what happens on both sides of the scale to be in a position to tip things in my favor.’
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‘There is no question that what you don’t know can hurt you. We see examples of the detrimental side of ignorance all too frequently in the form of inadequately designed or built watershapes. When you don’t seek to fill in the gaps in your own knowledge but bull your way forward anyway, those deficiencies can be a huge problem for you and your clients no matter whether you have a degree or not.’
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‘By embracing your own deficits in knowledge and expertise and seeking to fill those gaps, you give yourself a powerful tool. As one who has not had a formal education, I’ve built my entire career on the principle that each and every project is an opportunity to learn and that each subsequent project offers me an opportunity to apply that knowledge. This “constant classroom” habit takes on particular significance when it comes to watershaping, because in those situations learning new things translates into better work and, ultimately, greater income.’
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‘To me, the thought of a class of legitimate design professionals entering the watershaping field in ever-greater numbers spells real opportunity – and I say that as one who works on the design side of things rather than on the construction side and might feel the competitive heat sooner than most. . . . When you find people of like mind who are actively seeking to develop their own knowledge, you’re almost certain to discover that they have something to share with you and are generally willing to do so.’
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‘In that spirit,’ Brian concluded, ‘this died-in-the-wool “pool guy” couldn’t be happier to see landscape architects and designers stepping into our midst. Through their knowledge, our products are made greater; by the same token, the experience and skills of expert contractors make designers’ projects more compelling and powerful. Seems like a win-win to me.’
How has this situation progressed on both sides in the ten years since Brian wrote his column? Is it even an issue at this point? Or are the two camps still in some ways divided by perceived professional rivalry? Please share your thoughts by commenting below!
Brian Van Bower runs Aquatic Consultants, a design firm based in Miami, Fla., and is a co-founder of the Genesis 3 Design Group; dedicated to top-of-the-line performance in aquatic design and construction, this organization conducts schools for like-minded pool designers and builders. He can be reached at [email protected].