ARTICLES
Advance Search
Aquatic Health
Aquatic Health, Fitness & Safety
Around the Internet
Aquatic Culture
Aquatic Technology
Artful Endeavors
Celebrity Corner
Life Aquatic
Must-See Watershapes
People with Cameras
Watershapes in the Headlines
Book & Media Reviews
Commentaries, Interviews & Profiles
Fountains
Join the Dialogue
Landscape, Plants, Hardscape & Decks
Lighter Side
Ripples
Test Your Knowledge
The Aquatic Quiz
Other Waterfeatures (from birdbaths to lakes)
Outdoor Living, Fire Features, Amenities & Lighting
Ponds, Streams & Waterfalls
Pools & Spas
Professional Watershaping
Structures (Editor's Notes)
Travelogues & History
WaterShapes TV
WaterShapes World Blog
Web Links
Around the Internet
Aquatic Culture
Aquatic Technology
Artful Endeavors
Celebrity Corner
Life Aquatic
Must-See Watershapes
People with Cameras
Watershapes in the Headlines
The most important skill needed by any designer is the ability to communicate clearly. This skill takes many forms, from verbal descriptions, well-assembled photographs and material samples to graphical depictions of concepts, details, dimensioned layouts and other drawn elements. When a watershaper is pushing design limits, in fact, he or she is often called upon to use all of these communication tools to convey ideas and aspire to offer something unique. In recent years, computer-aided design (CAD) systems have become increasingly popular as a tool in preparing construction drawings. Combined with the designer's creativity, these programs assist greatly in the production of plans. Unfortunately, however, our usage of them varies greatly in style and content from project to project and designer to designer. Indeed, these variations can be so radical that some plans are not easily understood by other professionals; moreover, the exchange of electronic CAD files is not always as convenient or efficient as it should be. This is why a group of industry experts has banded together to create the National CAD Standard (NCS), which is the core subject of this brief series of articles. That effort, which has met
What do you see when you look at postcards, ads and travel posters designed to lure you to exotic, sunny locations? Almost without exception, there are palms - the omnipresent invitation to experience all things tropical. The association is so close, in fact, that it's hard to imagine a tropical resort or lagoon-style backyard pool without at least one of them in sight. The allure of palms, of course, extends well beyond the tropics. In any location in which sunshine and outdoor living are touchstones for the good life, whether its in the desert of southern California or on a waterfront in Hawaii, palms are almost always the finishing touch used in crafting a distinctive artistic and cultural statement. They are the icons of
What do you see when you look at postcards, ads and travel posters designed to lure you to exotic, sunny locations? Almost without exception, there are palms - the omnipresent invitation to experience all things tropical. The association is so close, in fact, that it's hard to imagine a tropical resort or lagoon-style backyard pool without at least one of them in sight. The allure of palms, of course, extends well beyond the tropics. In any location in which sunshine and outdoor living are touchstones for the good life, whether its in the desert of southern California or on a waterfront in Hawaii, palms are almost always the finishing touch used in crafting a distinctive artistic and cultural statement. They are the icons of
If there's one thing most designers of all types have in common, it's that we tend to possess built-in senses of personal independence. I believe that's why most of us, at some point or other in our careers, consider taking the big step of going out and starting our own practices. I haven't done that as yet, and a big part of the "why" has to do with knowing that a great many of those who do hang their own shingles wind up failing - often sooner rather than later. Yet even though I enjoy the security of working for a company rather than running one myself, I must confess that, for a long time now, the idea has intrigued me - if for no other reason than I want to know what it takes to make a go of it. That's how I came to pick up a copy of How to Start and Operate Your Own Design Firm by Albert W. Rubeling, Jr. (2nd edition, Allworth Press, 2007). This 240-page text offers a wonderfully thorough discussion of the challenges I'd always imagined, and I think it would be of use even to those who are already up and running in addition to those who are only contemplating or curious about taking the plunge. The author obviously has a
If there's one thing most designers of all types have in common, it's that we tend to possess built-in senses of personal independence. I believe that's why most of us, at some point or other in our careers, consider taking the big step of going out and starting our own practices. I haven't done that as yet, and a big part of the "why" has to do with knowing that a great many of those who do hang their own shingles wind up failing - often sooner rather than later. Yet even though I enjoy the security of working for a company rather than running one myself, I must confess that, for a long time now, the idea has intrigued me - if for no other reason than I want to know what it takes to make a go of it. That's how I came to pick up a copy of How to Start and Operate Your Own Design Firm by Albert W. Rubeling, Jr. (2nd edition, Allworth Press, 2007). This 240-page text offers a wonderfully thorough discussion of the challenges I'd always imagined, and I think it would be of use even to those who are already up and running in addition to those who are only contemplating or curious about taking the plunge. The author obviously has a
Not long ago, I was asked by a reporter from The New York Times to define the main difference between swimming pools now compared to what they were 20 years ago. As we talked, it became clear that she was mostly thinking about technological breakthroughs in pumps and chemical treatments and the like. I confirmed for her that, yes, those products had come a long way. But I wouldn't let her stop there, suggesting that there was much more than a run of technical advancements behind the explosion of interest in watershapes in the recent decades. What we've also been seeing, I said, is a latter-day Renaissance of interest in classical notions of
Not long ago, I was asked by a reporter from The New York Times to define the main difference between swimming pools now compared to what they were 20 years ago. As we talked, it became clear that she was mostly thinking about technological breakthroughs in pumps and chemical treatments and the like. I confirmed for her that, yes, those products had come a long way. But I wouldn't let her stop there, suggesting that there was much more than a run of technical advancements behind the explosion of interest in watershapes in the recent decades. What we've also been seeing, I said, is a latter-day Renaissance of interest in classical notions of
I've always believed that an unlimited budget is not essential to making design magic. While having clients with deep pockets and a willingness to dig deeply into them is always nice and allows us a bit more leeway when it comes to artistic license, I've always observed that having relatively few constraints also tends to make some designers creatively lazy. By contrast, I've often found small-budget, small-space projects to be creatively stimulating. A couple of columns ago, for example, I discussed a project we'd been working on that posed challenges with its sunken deck footings and the need to accomplish a lot with
I've always believed that an unlimited budget is not essential to making design magic. While having clients with deep pockets and a willingness to dig deeply into them is always nice and allows us a bit more leeway when it comes to artistic license, I've always observed that having relatively few constraints also tends to make some designers creatively lazy. By contrast, I've often found small-budget, small-space projects to be creatively stimulating. A couple of columns ago, for example, I discussed a project we'd been working on that posed challenges with its sunken deck footings and the need to accomplish a lot with
I've written several times in the past about the fact that more and more landscape architects and designers are getting into watershaping. As evidence, all you need to do is look at design-award competitions in the pool and spa industry and note the increasing number of submissions from landscape professionals: It's even getting to the point in some programs where they're outnumbering participants who come from the traditional pool and spa industry. You'll find even more evidence of this phenomenon on the web sites of landscape-focused companies, where you'll see watershapes of all shapes and descriptions in most of their photo galleries. Moreover, many I know in the pool and spa industry have had the experience of
