ARTICLES Archives - Page 153 of 315

In the Spirit of the Season

Just a month ago, I wrote in this space about the generosity of a group of watershapers and landscape designers who planted a park in a Rochester, N.Y., neighborhood that definitely needed a boost. Ever since, it seems, I have kept running into reports of genuine, aquatically related community spirit. In many cases, for example, threatened closures of public swimming pools have been averted through donations by individuals and businesses in their communities. Local governments, strapped for the cash to pay for anything other than essential services, have seemed all too willing to save money by closing down pools (or shutting off fountains or idling interactive waterfeatures), thereby making

Test Your Knowledge #36

‘World’s Largest Swimming Lesson’Included How Many U.S. States?

Getting to the Point

I’ve spent a considerable amount of time in Pittsburgh through the years. My mother was born up the Alleghany River in Brady’s Bend, my father closer by in the suburb of Swissvale; both grew up in the city and attended the University of Pittsburgh, where they met and fell in love. My sister now works at their

Ripples #47

Compiled and Written by Lenny Giteck Rodney King Dead at 47 —Found at Bottom of Pool

A Break in the Clouds

When I was new to the watershaping world back in the 1980s, it always surprised and disappointed me when newspaper articles – most of them quoting real estate agents and officials as primary sources – told the world that a swimming pool added nothing to the value of a home. In fact, the articles contended, a pool probably lessened the home’s resale price by severely limiting the

From Derelict to Showpiece

As a long-time pond installer, I have no fear when it comes to tackling large projects. In this case, a garden center in our area asked us to convert a derelict swimming pool on the property into a showpiece pond/waterfall complex the center could use to entice customers into thinking about aquatic settings and plants. We

Learning from the French

When you approach a design challenge, it always helps to be aware of the work of those who’ve gone before. That’s why college programs for designers, including architects and landscape architects, so often incorporate courses intended to teach students about the history of art and architecture. It’s a foundation that

Woven Beauty

This project is all about making connections – connections between the inside of a home and the outdoors; between surrounding wide-open spaces and an intimate backyard; between the colors of the hillsides and the materials used in crafting the watershape; between the clients’ desire for recreation and their passion for beauty; and between the beauty of nature and the modern, sculptural lines of the design. In style, this freeform, vanishing-edge pool and raised spa are