ARTICLES Archives - Page 284 of 312

Modern Voices

If you feel the same need I do to explore the vast and inspiring reaches of 20th-century structural forms, The Oral History of Modern Architecture by John Peter is a wonderful and enduring resource. Published in 1994 by Harry N. Abrams (New York), this text features more than 100 interviews with modern architects, including in-depth discussions conducted by the author with a group he defines as the "Top Ten" masters of modern architecture. The interviews were conducted in the stretch from 1953 to 1989, and several audio excerpts are provided on a CD that comes as a companion to the printed transcripts. And it's quite a roster of luminaries, including

Averting Disaster

Every once in a while, being right is not such a great thing! Last month in this column, I described the initial phases of a spectacular project in Malibu, Calif., and one of the things I mentioned was the fact that from the moment I stepped onto the site, I suspected that there might be some serious problems afoot. This impression was based largely on what I saw to be substandard construction of the existing swimming pool and on concerns about the elevation of the deck relative to the structure of the house. Unfortunately, those initial impressions turned out to be

Changing Zones

It's not often that we're asked to stretch ourselves. This past year, however, I was presented with that opportunity in landscaping a site that was quite different from the usual residential lots I encounter in Southern California. Through all my years in business, I've become accustomed to working in a climate that supports year-round planting, year-round foliage and year-round lush views. In this case, I received a call to design a garden in the mountains above Southern California - and I jumped at the chance to

Ready, Set, Goal

"Without goals, you become what you were. With goals, you become what you wish." -- James Fadiman As I've grown in my personal life and as a businessperson, I've come to recognize a powerful relationship between basic axioms (such as the one just above from James Fadiman) and the setting of my own goals. To paraphrase Mr. Webster, an axiom is a self-evident truth or proposition. Many are quite familiar, so much so that phrases including "Honesty is the best policy" or "Nothing

Now and Then

Last year at about this time, we ran a sequence of articles on watershapes of historic or monumental importance. These included such spectacular installations as the fountains and pools of

Timeless Impressions

Most people know Maya Lin for her bold design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, but watershapers in particular should become familiar with a range of her other works as well. For nearly 15 years, reports William Hobbs, his company has been involved in producing intricate water effects for the famous artist, whose works draw fascinating connections between observers and the mysteries of time and nature. The marriage of water and art can be extremely powerful and evocative, especially in the hands of a great designer. One who has taken the use of water to sublime and fantastic levels is Maya Lin, the artist who rose to prominence as a

The features, traditions and character of Chinese garden design are generally unfamiliar to most Westerners – and that’s a shame, says watergarden designer Rick Anderson, because they are an art form all their own. He recently traveled to China to learn more about these unusual spaces and to explore the natural beauty of the Yangtze River’s valley and here shares his observations and inspirations.

Finding China

Many years have passed since I first saw pictures of China, but my desire to travel to the Giant of the Orient has never waned. In recent years, in fact, that interest grew ever stronger as I watched all the new information emerging from China as it has slowly opened itself to the Western world. I’ve been particularly fascinated by documentaries on the Yangtze River and The Great Dam that China is building to manage its floodwaters. This past spring, I visited China to see its amazing gardens with my own eyes and travel down the Yangtze through the fabled Three Gorges and the Lesser Three Gorges. I went seeking inspiration and came back with more than my quota of thoughts on the mysteriousness and tantalizing vagueness with which

Of all the projects he’s pursued in the past few years, says David Tisherman, he can’t easily think of another that rivals the achievement of this one with respect to balance, color, harmony or sheer energy. The key words here, he adds, are color and energy, with one flowing irresistibly from the other in a reinvigorated backyard that was once drab, uninteresting and crowded with an old pool that just didn’t fit with its surroundings.

Splashes of Color

If you can't see potential in every backyard you walk into, then you're in the wrong business. Yes, some projects are more inspiring than others, and some spaces seem to offer you more to work with than others. Without exception, however, our clients' yards present us with opportunities to develop programs that take advantage of what's there in ways that bring balance and harmony and interest to any setting. Speaking for myself, I'm no more energized in a project than when I get the opportunity to right a wrong and replace a past mistake with a fresh, interesting design - and that was certainly the case in the project discussed in this article and in my past several "Details" columns in this magazine. The setting was special, the clients were great and I was given free rein to work with color, shape and line in vivid, interesting and even startling ways - all in keeping with their wants and desires. SETTING THE SCENE To recap information from recent "Details," this pool/spa combination with its associated decking, walls, planters, outdoor cooking facilities and private garden area are located in a narrow yard at the base of a slope in Pacific Palisades, Calif. It's a spectacular

In some places, observes landscape architect Lauchlin Bethune, Mother Nature sets higher standards for naturalistic watershapes. Where he lives near Seattle, for example, he and his clients are surrounded by the beauty that comes with ample rain, rugged terrain and plentiful greenery – an environment that makes it tough for watershapers to balance the practicalities of construction with the passionate desire to mimic local grandeur.

Echoes of Grandeur

The Pacific Northwest is full of spectacular scenery. From where I live near the Puget Sound, for example, you can see the Olympic range running along a peninsula to the west and the Cascade range off to the east. Looking southeast, Mt. Rainier is a silent, majestic sentinel silhouetted against an ever-changing sky. It's a beautiful place to live and perfect when it comes to design inspiration - especially when your work is creating naturalistic gardens and watershapes. One of the most spectacular waterfalls in the entire northwest is just a short drive up Interstate 90 from me, a place called Snoqualmie Falls. Local hiking trails are dotted by scores of perennial waterfalls that cascade down mountainsides. For me, there is nothing more refreshing than clambering up a steep grade and rounding the corner to find a misty, shady waterfall. It invigorates the soul and encourages one and all to keep climbing in the hope of seeing even more spectacular scenery. The attractions of nature and its inherent beauty are much enjoyed by people who live around here. In recent years, I've seen a trend toward bringing slices of that grandeur down to a residential scale in gardens that use water in motion as a key feature. It's the water that

The lighting of water in motion is equal parts engineering and art. To be successful at it, observes Paul L’Heureux of Crystal Fountains, you need to combine an understanding of the available technology with an eye for what’s involved in accenting movement with light. Here, in the second part of his discussion of fountain lighting, he gets specific about techniques that bring moving water to life when the sun goes down.

Light Sensations

Just as a painting comes alive with a tiny lamp perched over its frame or a simple landscape becomes a nighttime spectacle with strategically placed spot and flood lights, illuminated water creates an intense experience for the eyes. Lighting adds depth and dimension while revealing subtle details and producing emotional responses among those who view and enjoy these scenes. The simple truth is, if we didn't light water in fountains and other watershapes, much of its visual beauty would be lost. As we discussed in "Guiding the Lights" (WaterShapes, March 2001, page 48), understanding and applying the various approaches and techniques of lighting water enables professional watershapers to operate on whole new levels. In the following pages, we'll continue that discussion with a look at what it takes to maximize the aesthetic effects of water in motion and discuss some practical issues having to do with lighting installation and safety. SOLUTIONS IN MOTION Last time, we identified the various categories of water effects, design considerations for each and the most effective of the available lighting solutions. This time we'll