Jim

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A Champion’s Pool
Some of the most intriguing projects begin with an element of mystery. I received a call from a prominent local designer who informed me that he was putting together a Dream Team for a special client and a special site - but for now, no name would be attached: All we were to receive was a reference number (15-LLC) and a location along with a preliminary plan and some photographs. I wasn't alone in receiving this preview: Other top-tier exterior-design professionals had been
2018/10.1 — Hilltop Hideaway, Pond Tuning, Piers in Place and more
THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS October 3, 2018 www.watershapes.com FEATURE ARTICLE…
The Perfect Perch
We may have wrapped up the project discussed here more than five years ago, but I still see this backyard almost every time I take clients around to see examples of our work. The way I figure it, there's no better way to start a portfolio tour than by knocking prospects' socks off. There's lots of cool stuff going on here, some of which can readily be seen: the sweeping, Lautner-style perimeter-overflow edge around much of the free-form pool; the glorious water-on-water vanishing edge overlooking a large pond; a nice, full-featured spa; and the floating
Looping Petals
Everything I write about in these Travelogues is a personal experience, but this one in particular hits very close to home. I heard a lot about this sculpture, known now as "Heliconia Loop," for months as it was being created, following along avidly as the deadline for
Unruly Times
All summer long, I've been distracted by news stories that have just bugged the heck out of me. First, there have been the multiple items about foolish behavior at Rome's Trevi Fountain - among the most
2018/9.2, September 19 — Revealing Potential, Weaving Waterways, Inspired by O’Keeffe and more
THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS September 19, 2018 www.watershapes.com FEATURE ARTICLE…
Dressed for Success
A glance at our portfolio of dozens of golf-course projects dating back to 1990 shows that no two of them are exactly alike - despite the fact that our mission in each case has been exactly the same: It's our goal with every project to leave behind grassy patches that have seemingly been draped across natural terrain that has been there, untouched and untrammeled, since time immemorial. In other words, we've crafted elevation changes, watercourses, plantings and other defining features so carefully that it seems like folks who enjoy chasing little white, dimpled
On a Wire
‘Several years back, I was in a seminar at the International Pool & Spa Expo when the instructor asked everyone who had an e-mail address to raise a hand.   ‘Way back then – it was in the late 1980s or perhaps even the early ’90s – using the Internet for communication was a brand-new concept to most people and there were only a few . . .  in the room who lifted an arm.  I wasn’t one of them,’ observed Brian Van Bower in opening his September 2008 Aqua Culture column, ‘and at that point I had no idea that e-mail and Web sites would ever
Abatron Offers Slip-Resistant Coating
Abatron (Kenosha, WI) produces Tread Spread, an easy-to-apply epoxy coating that meets OSHA and ADA…
D&D Offers Gate Latch with an Alarm
D&D Technologies (Huntington Beach, CA) manufactures MagnaLatch Alert, a top-pull, keyed safety latch for gates…