ARTICLES Archives - Page 209 of 315

Natural Cascades: Bob Vaughn’s Platinum Standard Project

In December 2004, WaterShapes introduced ‘The Platinum Standard,’ a registry of projects that embodies watershaping…

The Platinum Standard II

In December 2004, WaterShapes introduced ‘The Platinum Standard,’ a registry of projects that embodies watershaping at its finest. Now, as part of our celebration of the magazine’s 100th Issue, Eric Herman offers ‘The Platinum Standard II,’ a fresh set of 20 projects that have graced the pages of the magazine in the past three-and-a-half years – projects that demonstrate clearly that watershaping has become an art form in its own right. I’ll never forget the day Jim McCloskey suggested starting a magazine on systems that contain and control water. We were walking near his home in Woodland Hills, Calif., when he broached the idea, saying it had come to him as something of an epiphany while

The Edge of Elegance: Joan Roca’s Platinum Standard Project

In December 2004, WaterShapes introduced ‘The Platinum Standard,’ a registry of projects that embodies watershaping…

David Tisherman

I’ve known David Tisherman and his work for more than 20 years. Back when I worked for another industry publication, there was a time when that magazine had

William N. Rowley

When Jim McCloskey and I began working toward the launch of WaterShapes in the summer of 1998, we knew that making our new magazine into something completely different would require expert advice from top people in the field. One of the first I suggested turning to was Dr. William N. Rowley. By that time, Bill’s accomplishments in the field of

Anthony Archer Wills

Even as one who makes a living writing and editing, it’s difficult for me to find words sufficient to describe the experience of meeting and getting to know Anthony Archer Wills. The best I can do is to describe encountering him as being something akin to

Behind the Prize

My father was a teacher by trade. When I was a kid, there were bookcases on the landing between the two floors of our home filled with the volumes he had used in teaching the history of science and technology in the 1940s and ’50s. There was one book on those many shelves that always fascinated me. He’d purchased it in France just after World War II ended, and it had neverbeen bound or trimmed, meaning the pages didn’t open unless you cut the edges with a knife. The book was entitled L’Architecture: Le Passé, Le Présent, and it gradually revealed its treasures to me as I grew bold enough to

#100 — and Counting

It seems like only yesterday that our premiere edition rolled off the presses, and it’s utterly amazing to me to think that was more than nine years ago. It’s an occasion for celebration, which is why this is a very special

Reharvesting Joy

It’s amazing for me to learn that this 100th issue of WaterShapes is carrying my 80th “Book Notes” column. It’s been a wonderful and fascinating experience – and as my wife puts it, has provided a great way to rationalize my literary addiction. I remember when Eric Herman and I first discussed the idea for this column: At the time, we both wondered how long it could be sustained. After the best part of seven years, I think we’re both comfortable with the thought that it’s basically a journey without end. To mark this special occasion, I want to look back at one of the most significant of all the books I’ve ever reviewed – one that isn’t about watershaping, construction, landscape architecture or anything in any way related to our industry. That book, which I wrote about way back in February 2003, is Harvests of Joy: How the Good Life Became Great Business by Robert Mondavi (with Paul Chutkow; Harcourt Brace, 1998). I’d read it based on

Taking Flight

Last month, we began describing our work on an indoor butterfly garden for the Strong Museum in Rochester, N.Y. – an extremely challenging design/build project that required us to work as part of a large team in developing a complex garden, pond and waterfall composition. While the resulting butterfly-oriented design was definitely unusual in form and execution, it was also highly unusual in the convoluted way our firm became involved and in the complexities of