ARTICLES Archives - Page 49 of 315

Why Watershape University?

Ever since the formation of Watershape University last fall, curious minds have rightfully asked what this organization is all about, what our goals are, and the means we'll be using achieve those ends? Here's a rundown of the key questions and answers: What's a "watershape"? The creators of WaterShapes coined the term before

Degrees of Separation

'Through the past few months,' wrote Brian Van Bower in April 2005 to open his Aqua Culture column, 'I've run across several representatives of the pool and spa industry who have expressed concern that some of us in the business of educating watershapers are encouraging landscape architects to move in the direction of the pool industry's traditional market. "I can understand the anxiety. After all, landscape architects are

Solving tough technical challenges often takes cooperation and collaboration in a team setting, says builder William Drakeley. Here, he explains how this award-winning project required innovative solutions to overcome a set of uniquely tricky hurdles.

Elegant Ingenuity

It's a swimming pool that doesn't exist anyplace else, one that stretched our skill sets to find creative solutions to surprisingly steep challenges. Last year, the project was awarded the Northeast Swimming Pool Association Outstanding Achievement Award, a source of pride given the project's high level of difficulty. The project is located on the Connecticut coast overlooking Long Island Sound on a beautiful 10-acre property in an upscale neighborhood. The house is brand new, built the same time as the pool. We were brought into the process by

Pond specialist Dave Garton believes the effort spent maintaining happy and engaged clients is crucial to the success of almost any watershape project. Here he shares one of his favorite strategies -- getting his clients excited about rocks.

Smiling in the Rock Yard

Author's note: In January as part of a previous article in this series, I briefly discussed the process of selecting stone material with clients. Here we'll expand on that process with a look at why checking out rocks can be so much fun, and why it can be so important. Smiling changes things, but what on earth does that have to do with building ponds, or any other type of watershape for that matter? That answer is simply everything! In fact, this simple truth about the power of smiling might just be the most practical idea that exists in the world of watershaping. I believe it's right there with

Times of Change

By any measure, the past year has been a time of tumultuous change - and I'm not referencing the current microbiological situation. (In fact, let's just declare this space a "virus-free" zone for now.) Rather I'm talking about the tumbling dominoes that have been falling throughout the pool and spa industry since last spring. Dating back to the

Chemistry may be the big concern for service techs, but it's builders who determine the method of treatment during the equipment selection process. Builder/servicer (and former chef) Steve Kenny believes those decisions set the table for creating what he calls 'gourmet water.'

The Builder as Chef

As a designer/builder I openly admit that I am completely obsessed with water quality. A big part of why that's so is because I started out servicing pools. In fact, I really only moved into building them because I was so appalled by how builders in our area completely ignored the treatment side of the equation. It was so bad that I'd say the majority of pools we serviced had some form of shortcoming in the system that impacted water quality - undersized filters, only one skimmer, no chemical treatment technology, etc. - all which made

Water’s Two Faces

Simply because water is universal does not mean humans necessarily understand it or see it for what it truly is. I've been covering all things aquatic for three decades and the cliché is true, the more I know the more ignorant I become. From the emotional, even spiritual facets of water, to the recreational and awe-inspiring, to the

Turning his attention to a reflecting pool after completing two other watershapes on the same property, Steve Swanson suggested using a detail that was new to him. This bold move involved him directly in the home's overall visual impact and in a high-stakes learning curve.

The Flooded Mirror

After starting in the pool industry more than 40 years ago as a service technician, I gradually became involved in repairs, then remodeling work and, finally, with design and new construction. I've now built commercial and high-end residential projects, done numerous vanishing-edge installations and have pursued designs and details I wouldn't have dreamed of doing back in 1979. But there was one look that I'd never had an opportunity to work on with any of my clients: a perimeter overflow. That all changed last year in a backyard in Alamo, Calif., and the interesting thing is that

Experiencing the Void

When WaterShapes went all-digital back in July 2011, there was one big story looming in the print-magazine horizon: That summer, as finishing touches were being added to the National September 11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan, we were all set to offer a behind-the-scenes look at the fountain portion of the project in a September issue that never materialized. This missed opportunity with the memorial has been somewhere in

Humble Thanks

After a long, satisfying run, this will be the last blog I'll write for WaterShapes: With the next edition of this newsletter on April 8, that's a privilege I'll transfer to Eric Herman with gratitude and best wishes. While I have this chance, I have some additional thanks to