ARTICLES Archives - Page 70 of 312

Getting down to cases, Robert Mikula and Simon Gardiner conclude a two-part series by highlighting three great fountains and discussing how planning for multiple layers of community involvement have resulted in their emergence as indispensable urban resources.

Seeking Engagement

When we in the design community follow through with our belief that successful urban spaces must work as gathering spots and community resources for recreation, social interaction and relaxation, all sorts of good things start happening in these environments: Those who initiated the ideas are satisfied with the results; those who designed and built them are empowered to participate in effective, rewarding team processes; and those who use the spaces come back again and again, maintaining a high level of

The Value in Sharing

With this edition of the newsletter, we wrap up two important article sets at once, with the second and final part of Robert Mikula's and Simon Gardiner's coverage of fountains as resources for civic participation and the last in Graham Orme's four-part exploration of techniques for lighting pools, spas and other watershapes. In the first instance, I have always

Pure Persuasion

Early on January 10 - within an hour of unveiling the third of John Cohen's trio of articles on his quest to deliver toxin-free pool and spa water to his clients - I heard from a reader who wanted us to repeat all of the articles as one document to make it easier to share with clients who might be interested. "I want to let them know what a challenge it is

Pursuing Toxin-Free Water

For years, John Cohen has dedicated himself to meeting the needs of clients averse to using traditional sanitizers. As he reports in this compilation of three recent articles -- gathered together here for your forwarding convenience -- his quest is all about mirroring natural systems.

Working on major projects is always good for company morale, notes Denise Housler. But in this case, the fact that it was a monument meant to commemorate veterans from their own county kicked both their emotions and their desire to nail the details up by several notches.

Monumental Pride

All of our projects make us proud to be watershapers - but this one stands out among the most satisfying and rewarding of them all. The Veterans' Memorial was designed by David Richter of Richter Architects (Corpus Christi, Texas) and sits on prime real estate alongside City Hall in Portland, Texas. Two more Corpus Christi firms - Beecroft Construction and we at Aquaria Services - assembled the monument, which commemorates fallen veterans representing both

#29: Cabana

With increasing frequency, I've been getting involved in creating total, comprehensive backyard designs for my clients. From the pool and spa to shade structures and pool houses, from planting plans to entertainment areas and outdoor kitchens, if they want it, I'm at the ready to meet all of their needs. I love this trend, partly because it enables me to

The Architect Connection

‘Those of us in the design and construction industry are engaged in a singularly complicated human endeavor. To make things work,’ noted architect Greg Danskin in a March 2008 WaterShapes feature article, ‘it’s common for many technical disciplines to come together, including soils and structural engineers and contractors and subcontractors as well as architects, interior designers, landscape architects, lighting designers and watershapers – all working in concert to bring form to the goals and aspirations of the clients. ‘These professionals unite in designing spaces that

Swimming’s Lessons

One of my strongest (and best) childhood memories is of the first time I managed to swim the full length of an Olympic-size swimming pool. Another of my strongest (and saddest) youthful recollections is of the first time I tried swimming that distance - and failed miserably: I started out well but found myself desperately

Clothing Optional

His survey of St. Louis's fountains finally carried Jim McCloskey to Aloe Plaza and 'Meeting of the Waters.' a wonderful set of river-themed sculptures, well worth a visit. And let's not forget all of the controversy kicked up when the composition was first unveiled in 1940!

The circumstances in which urban fountains are created these days is complex and ever-changing, say Robert Mikula and Simon Gardiner -- a situation they discuss in the first of two articles on building a sense of multi-level participation among key groups of stakeholders.

A Sense of Participation

In his 1980 book, The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, William H. Whyte described seven elements needed to make urban spaces successful: seating areas, ready street access, sun, the availability of food, the presence of trees, features that promote conversations among strangers and water - particularly in the form of water features and fountains. As an example of this formulation, there is no more illustrative space than New York's