Pools & Spas
It's a fact: Watershapes built with concrete need to be waterproofed in some way or it is almost certain that the water their shells are supposed to contain will find a way to escape. While some observe that concrete applied by an expert at high levels of compressive strength will
Water passing from one level to another will always be a popular feature in watershapes — from the familiar spillways from spas into pools to the intricate flows found in many fountains, reflecting pools, runnels, rills and even koi ponds (to name a few possibilities). Depending on the application, these features might
With vast experience in both the residential and commercial markets, Kevin Ruddy is one of the watershaping industry’s foremost experts on the design and construction of indoor swimming pools and their surrounding environments. Here, in this first of two features covering a complicated residential project, he discusses the painstaking process of designing a pool and the systems that integrate it with the surrounding structure. It seems counterintuitive, but indoor swimming pool environments are wholly and entirely distinct from their outdoor cousins. The differences are mostly contained in the fact that, indoors, the designer needs to consider not only the pool and its hydraulic performance, but also the enclosure and the air-handling and dehumidification systems that makes these spaces comfortable and enjoyable for clients and their guests. Through years of designing and installing indoor pools, we at Omega Pool Structures (Toms River, N.J.) have learned – sometimes the hard way – what works and what doesn’t. Now, supported by more than two decades’ experience, we’ve
Some people say there are unattractive things we just can't avoid in installing our watershapes, including the visual intrusions provided by junction boxes, drain covers, skimmer lids, deck drains, pool cover key switches, spa-side remotes and all sorts of other things I refer to as "architectural uglies." Personally (and I know I'm not alone), I've never been satisfied
In pool-remodeling work, it's very common to raise a bond beam to meet the needs of a new deck or edge detail — or simply to make the pool level again. As ordinary a step as this may seem, it can be trickier than you might think because, in applying
Through the past several years, I've witnessed a debate among people in the watershaping industry about whether every construction project should require soils and geology reports as part of every design and engineering process. Most of my colleagues who work in the custom, quality-oriented end of the business will
For decades, controversy has surrounded the initial interactions of water and cementitious finishes in pools and spas – controversy that has led to heated debate, bad blood, litigation and very little by way of resolution. But that hasn’t stopped numerous organizations and individuals from working toward an answer, says Randy Dukes, who discusses here an
One of the great things about watershaping is how the work can lead you to unexpected places where you sometimes encounter vastly different ways of doing things. In the past few years, for instance, my design work has led me to design a number of projects in the great open spaces of western Canada – many of which have been built by Gene Brown of Valley Pools in Kelowna, British Columbia. Working with this true professional has taught me a great deal about the precision and power that comes in using poured-in-place concrete as a medium and, as a result, has greatly influenced my thinking about how watershapers everywhere should strive to elevate their own standards of construction. My northward migration began with small steps. In fact, I started off with Valley Pools simply as a consultant for hydraulic and mechanical issues, exchanging plans with Brown and helping him ensure the functionality of some of the more complex systems he found himself doing. At first, I did little more than flesh out the plans mechanically, but I couldn’t help noticing that he was finding some interesting projects – and also observed that he was one of those watershapers who had completely dedicated himself to excellence in all facets of the work. Our usual exchanges were set aside, however, when one day he sent me a set of plans that had been produced by an architect in collaboration with
It seems like ages ago, those glowing days when a spa – whether separate from or connected somehow to a swimming pool – stood on the absolute cutting edge of residential watershaping. These days, by contrast, systems designed to deliver hot water and hydrotherapy to our clients have become so familiar that they’re almost taken for granted. From what I’ve heard, it’s almost reached the point where discussions leading up to some of the best custom projects are treating spas as
With watershapes, sometimes the most straightforward forms work out best. That was definitely the case with this project, a swimming pool I designed and built for a beach club near my home in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The club is part of an overall resort property known as Reserva Conchal, an utterly spectacular spread covering 2,500 acres on scenic Playa Conchal on our country’s north Pacific coast. I first became involved with the resort’s owners about ten years ago, when they were completing their first phase and I helped them solve some problems with a pool that had been built by another firm. Since then, as the owners’ master plan has gradually unfolded, I’ve worked with them on a number of pools in various spots around the huge property, including watershapes for various condominiums and other facilities. My involvement with their newly constructed club has been, by far, the most
