stefano

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Floating on Sunshine (pdf version)
‘I want the house to look as though it is floating on water.” That was what architect Victor Canas told me when I was called out to visit this site on the northwestern coast of Costa Rica.  It was a brilliant idea, certainly one that befitted the spectacular mountaintop setting and its breathtaking 360-degree views of rugged coastline, forest greenery and assorted perspectives to horizons in all directions. I had the advantage in this case of already having built a
Media Sensations
I’ve been around watershapes on a professional basis since 1986, and I can recall more than a few times when something has crossed my desk that made me cringe.   Often it was studies released by the National Association of Realtors about what adding a pool does to a home’s value.  On too many occasions it was news about
ClearWater Tech Unveils New Corona-Discharge Ozonator
ClearWater Tech (San Luis Obispo, CA) now offers CD12/AD, a wall-mounted ozone generator that includes…
Clark Synthesis Offers Underwater Speakers
Clark Synthesis (Littleton, CO) manufactures Diluvio, a full-frequency, full-fidelity underwater speaker.  Designed for permanent installation…
Hayward Commercial Pool Publishes 2013 Catalog
  Hayward Commercial Pool (Elizabeth, NJ) has released the 2013 edition of its commercial products…
Crystal Fountains Introduces Spyra Rotating Jets
  Crystal Fountains (Concord, Ontario, Canada) has introduced Spyra, a jet system in which water…
Swim n Save Worldwide’s Circulator Improves Water Flow
  Swim n Save Worldwide (St. Pete Beach, FL) makes The Circulator, an automatic, 360-degree,…
Ponds on the Level
More and more people are enjoying the way ponds and watergardens help them keep in touch with nature, enjoy tranquility and slip into peaceful reflection.  But these watershapes are small ecosystems and can pose a range of challenges – some of them, as we shall explore here, related to maintaining proper water levels. The average pond can lose its water in a number of ways, anything from small leaks or wicking from waterfalls to evaporation or small animals taking their share.  Pond professionals and pond owners all know this, of course, but most rely on manual refilling methods – that is, a bucket or a nearby garden hose – instead of devising more elaborate filling systems.    To be sure, the classic manual methods are tried and true, but some have
Sharing Traveler’s Tales
Back in the early days of WaterShapes, I recall a long breakfast conversation with David Tisherman in which we discussed the importance of travel as part of a complete design education. It was the summer of 1999, and I was on the hunt for artwork to go along with an article Mark Holden was preparing on the history of watershape design:  David was known as someone who had traveled extensively and, more to the immediate point, was an avid taker of photographs of superior quality. He’d brought several sleeves filled with slides (remember them?) along to breakfast, and as we talked and I reviewed the photos, I was endlessly impressed by how meticulously he’d recorded so many places and details.  I’ve always been a traveler, too, but I never much cared for
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