Lakeside Luxury
Given complete creative carte blanche by a client focused on fun and luxury, Alison Felschow capitalized on the property’s setting and sight lines to weave a layered design that brims with interesting details and winding contours—all with one major surprise along the way. ...
Certifying Growth
There’s a big difference between paying lip-service to the importance of education and actively embracing the learning process. For Joe Dempsey, Jr., pursuing continuing education certification is a cornerstone of success. It’s a professional obligation, he says, and ultimately an opportunity to unlock your full potential. ...
Cross Connections
Backyard watershape design is at its best when everything works together to complement the setting. In this case, explains Joe Dempsey, Jr., the spirit of integration included not only pure aesthetics but also the hillside engineering and construction, as well as sharing the home’s energy-efficient heating system.  ...
Restoring the LA River
For most of the past century, natural waterways in Southern California have existed as lifeless concrete channels. Efforts to “regreen” some of those once-beautiful waters have given rise to hopes that the Los Angeles River, and others like it, will one day recapture their former natural health and riparian beauty.   ...
Water Odyssey Introduces Massive Splash
Water Odyssey has introduced Massive Splash, an innovative, modular splash play feature designed for maximum patron inclusivity. The modern, architectural look draws attention with a constant motion of water buckets as multiple spray effects reduce user wait times and keep kids engaged. Water sprays from the uprights provide constant cooling, water chasing and a safer play experience. The modular design can be configured to fit most splash pads. Lear more here.
An Open Letter to the California Contractor’s State License Board
In this open letter to the California Contractor's State License Board, Scott Cohen argues that the state should adopt mandatory continuing education for pool contractor licensing and license renewals. It's a change he believes would ultimately protect contractors and consumers by reducing the number of construction defects. ...
The Fascinating World of Geysers
Geysers stand out among nature’s most enigmatic and spectacular watershape wonders, inspiring awe as they shoot scalding water and steam into the air. But how do geysers work? What is the natural mechanism behind these showy geological marvels? Here’s a look beneath the surface. ...
Achieving Realism: Finishing Techniques for Cast-Concrete Rocks
It’s true that some artificial rock installations are not convincing. In an effort to solve those disconnects, today’s cast-concrete rock panel systems are taken from natural stone. When installed and finished correctly, rock panels can look like the real thing. ...
Caution: Don’t Forget the Tape
For all of the complexity and sophistication of watershape construction projects, some of the most important considerations are also the simplest. Chief among those, says Scott Cohen, using caution tape to help prevent jobsite injuries is an essential measure, but also one that can be all too easy to forget. ...