Fine Points: Consider the Cannonball
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Restoring a Motor City Icon
The Horace E. Dodge and Son Memorial Fountain in Detroit sat dormant for at least a decade, leaving a visual and cultural void in the heart of the Motor City. Fortunately, an extensive renovation and technology upgrade restored the modernist masterpiece that once again represents the city’s spirit of invention and ingenuity. ...
Reworking a Classic
This vintage property in the heights of Bel Air overlooking Los Angeles had seen better days when JC Escudero became involved in a sweeping renovation back in 2019. The work, including remodeling the pool and adding a spa, would redefine much of the property, while at the same time remaining true to its Spanish Colonial roots, all part of the latest chapter in the property’s star-studded history.   ...
Baiae: The Architecture of Pleasure
Baiae, an ancient Roman resort city located approximately 18 miles (30 kilometers) from Naples, has often been likened to a Roman Sodom, infamous for its hedonistic lifestyle and extravagant indulgences. Renowned as the ancient world’s Las Vegas, Baiae was a hub of luxury and excess, drawing Rome's elite to its shores for beach parties, banquets, and debauchery. ...
Unpacking Non-Disclosure Agreements
There’s nothing secret about the increasing prevalence of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) on many, if not most, of today’s most elaborate watershaping projects. More and more, designers and builders are being asked, if not forced, to sign these documents that in many cases prohibit sharing any type of information about the project. ...
“My Prettiest Picture . . . Why?”
The visual grace and simplicity of this deceptively nuanced project betray the slew of design details and careful planning required to pull it off. As David Tisherman explains here, the rooftop Los Angeles pool offered a unique opportunity to apply elevated design principles and technical discipline in a dreamlike, yet challenging, setting. ...
Butchart Gardens: A Living Legacy of Beauty and Innovation
Nestled on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, Butchart Gardens is a world-renowned botanical garden that attracts over a million visitors annually. Its stunning landscapes, vibrant flowers, and meticulously designed water features have made it a must-see destination for garden enthusiasts and tourists alike. ...
Seaweed Secrets
In summer 2023, seaweed drew widespread concern and media attention as a giant “blob” of sargassum invaded Florida as well as parts of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Despite the bad press, messy beaches and pungent odor, a look beneath the surface reveals a vast world of diverse complexity, beauty and practical potential. ...
Romancing the Duck
In the whimsical world of floatie toys, the rubber duck reigns supreme. For more than a century, the familiar yellow duck with an orange bill, and thousands of derivations, have been mainstays in bathtubs, spas and pools the world ‘round. ...
Remembering a Leader: Vance Gillette
As the pool industry mourns the passing of renown leader and advocate, Vance Gillette, WaterShapes editor and long-time friend, Eric Herman, offers a reflection on the career and influence of one of the industry’s most charismatic and outspoken proponents. ...