2015/12.2, December 16 — Holiday Fun, Brilliant Mirrors, Old-School Decking and more

THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS

December 16, 2015 www.watershapes.com

INTERVIEW

Santa’s Back!

Five years after his first amazing WaterShapes interview, Santa Claus reached out to our staff once again, saying he had another sled’s worth of encouraging words to offer the hard-working, creative, innovative watershapers he’s been watching the world over. [more]

WHAT IS IT?

#21: Exposed-Aggregate Decking

It’s an old-school material and ‘retro’ look these days, but Mike Farley keeps coming across applications in which using exposed-aggregate decking is the ideal solution. In the case of the project covered in this video, it didn’t hurt that it was also the obvious solution. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

A Supple Vision

While rambling through New York’s Central Park many years ago, Jim McCloskey crossed paths with three fair maidens — a wonderful fountain composition well worth seeing for yourself the next time work or pleasure carries you near the heart of the Big Apple. [more]

ESSENTIAL

A Clear, Clean Public Service

The structures and grounds at the Cross Valley Water District’s headquarters in Clearview, Wash., stand as a prime example of how a public facility can send important messages to the community about responsible environmental stewardship. According to landscape architect Sandra Hasegawa Ingalls, the project’s watershape is a key element in a broad program that makes this facility what she hopes is a model for others to come.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in January 2003, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Graceful Reflections

Water’s reflective nature is a part of watershaping that is all too often left to chance, observes Anthony Archer Wills. But when considered from the outset of a project, the brilliance and subtlety of a reflection is something he says you can use to delight and fascinate your clients. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Three Year-End Smiles

Wrapping up the old year in style, Jim McCloskey reviews three news items that caught his eye recently — and speculates about how wonderful it would be if these and other stories persuaded all of us recognize some deeper values watershapes can bring to our lives. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Where There’s a Will Dept.: Canadian quartet crafts a floating hot tub — complete with a pig roaster. [more]

Now they seek a Guinness record for hot tub sailing.

Self-Motivation Dept.: Intrepid ‘snow swimmer’ may inspire a whole new field of sporting endeavor. [more]

One hopes the Olympics will see the merits of his ‘event.’

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Choosing Wisely

In the December 2010 issue of WaterShapes, Bruce Zaretsky devoted his On the Level column to defining how he keeps up with changes that seem to be an inevitable part of one key area of his business. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

New Viron P300 Variable-Speed Pump from AstralPool

AstralPool (Jacksonville, FL) produces the Viron P300 variable-speed pump. Featuring a housing that offers near-silent operation and a permanent-magnet, brushless DC motor designed to decrease operating costs, the pump adapts to the task at hand while reducing wear and tear on filters, heaters, chlorinators and other system components. For details, click here.

DeltaUV Unveils E-Series Ultraviolet Systems

Delta UV (Gardena, CA) has released its E-Series of low-pressure, high-output ultraviolet systems for water disinfection. Featuring Clean Light Technology, the easy-to-install units come with either stainless steel or PVC housings; have lamps that last up to 16,000 hours; and are available in five sizes for flow rates from 31 to 110 gallons per minute. For details, click here.

WPN UPDATE

New Features
Coming in 2016

The WaterShapes Professional Network team has been busy preparing two key features for the New Year: Starting in January, WPN members will be able to list awards and professional affiliations as part of their landing pages. By March, we’ll be ready to accommodate biographical information on each company’s key personnel — a major credibility- and trust-building opportunity in reaching out to consumers.

The Network is growing: Shouldn’t you be climbing aboard?

2015/12.1, December 2 — Access Assistance, Distant Projects, Duck Ponds and more

THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS

December 2, 2015 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE

Working on the Road

Completing a project at any real distance from your home base is tough, notes Barry Justus. But with careful project management and planning, it’s possible to make it work — even if the job site is three long hours away and you get started while there’s still snow on the ground. [more]

VIDEO GALLERY

Web-Footed Wonderland

If you’ve penned in a large and growing group of assorted waterfowl, notes Mike Gannon, there comes a time when a big pond will be required. Here’s a look at the special considerations and features involved in shaping these unique aquatic environments. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Functional Aesthetics

A designer’s responsibility for the look of a project doesn’t vanish when a client has special needs and requires ready access to the water, writes Paolo Benedetti. Here, he runs through some options that ease the way in and out of a watershape while still pleasing the eye. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Back to the Garden

As a design concept, Japanese gardens know no cultural or geographic borders: Elements of this style of garden design have been exported throughout the world to shape exterior spaces of all sorts in both public and private settings. Here, landscape designer Elizabeth Navas Finley discusses the underlying principles of Japanese gardens, defining ways in which this simple approach to designing spaces can be put to use across a spectrum of applications.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in December 1999, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

TRAVELOGUE

Sealing the Deal

The Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas encompasses a range of elaborate watershapes — lakes, fountains, a rock-waterfall mountain and a host of pools and spas. His company waterproofed these systems, writes Tim Eorgan, to make them a gorgeous attraction when you visit Sin City. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Remembering a Friend

There was a lot going on at this year’s International Pool|Spa|Patio Expo, writes Jim McCloskey — and more than enough by way of new and interesting products that it made him think back to conversations he once had with a long-departed friend and enduring industry icon. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Paying It Forward Dept.: Fashion house Fendi agrees to fund restoration of four more fountains in Rome. [more]

Saving Trevi Fountain apparently just wasn’t enough!

Making It Deeper Dept.: The race is on, with England outdigging Italy to build another super-deep pool. [more]

At 50 meters, it’s a cut way below other research plunges.

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Commercial Constraints

In his Aqua Culture column of December 2005, Brian Van Bower highlighted a reversal in the way innovations were flowing — and saw it as a challenge that needed to be addressed. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

Custom Molded Products Introduces LED Laminars

Custom Molded Products (Tyrone, GA) has launched a laminar jet system featuring advanced LED lighting, a synchronizing system and a prefilter for use around pools. Designed for a balance of performance and reliability, the units have precision stainless steel nozzles and a flow system that minimizes turbulence for a glass-like laminar flow. For details, click here.

Waterplay Solutions Offers ‘Cirque’ Aquatic Features

Waterplay Solutions (Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada) has introduced Cirque, a collection of splash-pad play features that bring the magic of the circus tent to aquatic spaces. With interactive functions throughout the line, the colorful products push, spin, and twist water to acrobatic heights with surprises and sneaky splashes included. For details, click here.

WPN UPDATE

Making Space
for Badges

Within the next few days, the 50 companies currently participating in the WaterShapes Professional Network will be asked to place the WPN-member badge on their own web site’s home pages — a crucial step that will jump-start the network’s consumer-reaching capability. With those key links in place, the WPN site will be of much greater interest to search engines and therefore much easier for consumers to find. That means more clicks, more leads, more benefits to membership.

The Network is growing: Shouldn’t you be climbing aboard?

2015/11.2, November 18 — Rooftop Misadventures, Mid-Century Revisions, Artful Fountain and more

THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS

November 18, 2015 www.watershapes.com

UP ON THE ROOF

Overhead Defects

When things go wrong with rooftop pools and spas, the potential for collateral damage is so great that things get urgent in a hurry — a point Rob Holmer illustrates through two case studies in which basic errors led to big hassles in one instance and demolition in the other. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Remaking a Classic

Restoring the pool and adding a spa to a classic Mid-Century Modern home took care and restraint, observes Jimmy Reed, But his task was made easier by an insightful, cooperative client with excellent tastes, a eye for detail and a healthy spirit of adventure. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Mist and Mystery

It isn’t too often that Jim McCloskey comes across a watershape that is truly different — something he’s never even considered before. That’s why he was so happy to find this one while visiting the campus of a famous eastern university on a warm summer’s day. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Elegant Intentions

From time to time, says David Tisherman, you run into a design in which ‘restraint’ is the watchword. That was certainly true in this project, where he found an elegant English manor home and has given it a pool that looks as though it’s been there for a hundred years. Far less restrained, however, is the structure that holds the watershape in place — and does so without applying any extra pressure to a huge retaining wall that stands just a few feet away.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in November 2008, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Simple Transparency

With naturalistic watergardens, there’s often a tolerance for green or murky water. But Anthony Archer Wills suggests that crystal-clear water in streams and ponds enables watershapers to add extra dimension to their projects in the form of vivid underwater landscapes [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

An Expo with a Difference

When he headed off to this year’s Pool|Spa|Patio Expo, Jim McCloskey knew it would be momentous if for no other reason than people would be interested in learning what the merger of two key educational entities will mean to the key industry sectors they serve. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Unusual Efficiency Dept.: Vietnamese lakes being purified with the assistance of exercise bikes. [more]

System brings new meaning to getting ‘pumped up.’

Wonderful News Dept.: Rome’s Trevi Fountain has reopened after an extensive restoration project. [more]

Sixteen-month effort was funded by fashion’s Fendi.

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Speaking to Authority

In his Currents column of November 2010, Dave Peterson addressed the suction-entrapment issue with a simple question about whether a common feature of modern pools and spas is really needed. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

Custom Molded Products Introduces LED Laminars

Custom Molded Products (Tyrone, GA) has launched a laminar jet system featuring advanced LED lighting, a synchronizing system and a prefilter for use around pools. Designed for a balance of performance and reliability, the units have precision stainless steel nozzles and a flow system that minimizes turbulence for a glass-like laminar flow. For details, click here.

Waterplay Solutions Offers ‘Cirque’ Aquatic Features

Waterplay Solutions (Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada) has introduced Cirque, a collection of splash-pad play features that bring the magic of the circus tent to aquatic spaces. With interactive functions throughout the line, the colorful products push, spin, and twist water to acrobatic heights with surprises and sneaky splashes included. For details, click here.

WPN UPDATE

Badge of
Distinction

Within the next few weeks, the 50 current members of the the WaterShapes Professional Network will be adding the Network’s badge to the home pages of their web sites — a mark of distinction that will benefit every member by raising their search-engine profiles and creating WPN’s collective presence on the Internet. It means more traffic, more clicks and more contacts with aquatically motivated consumers.

The Network is growing: Isn’t it time to climb aboard?

Click here to have a look!

2015/11.1, November 4 — Durable Plaster, Rooftop Dynamics, Courtyard Charms and more

THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS

November 4, 2015 www.watershapes.com

UP ON THE ROOF

Elevated Engineering

Rooftop swimming pools and spas offer breathtaking views, writes Rob Holmer, but they also tend to come with an array of unique challenges. Here, he discusses how knowing the forces at work on elevated concrete shells will help when it comes to getting things just right. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Intersecting Sensibilities

Transforming a small front yard into a tranquil, meditative retreat can be a great way to expand usable living space, observes Ketti Kupper. It can also, as she demonstrates here, turn a compact courtyard into an art gallery and a stage for personal expression. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Durable Pool Plaster, Revisited

Five years ago, Kim Skinner wrote about what was involved in making pool plaster durable. A lot has come to light and been studied and evaluated since then, he says — more than enough to warrant preparation of a detailed, side-by-side update on the subject. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Great Lengths

From Pebble Beach to Augusta National, water and the game of golf share a storied history — and the relationship is growing even closer, says landscape architect and watershaper Ken Alperstein of Pinnacle Design. As new courses compete for major tournaments and real estate sales on adjoining properties, course architects are using streams, ponds and lakes to make aesthetic statements and are giving watershapers a chance to work on the grandest scale.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in March 2001, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

TRAVELOGUE

New World Impressions

Throughout history, stone has been used to create structures of enduring beauty — some of them icons the world over. But others, including many found in Central America, are relatively unfamiliar and, notes Bobbie Schwartz, are definitely worth a visit. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

A Personal Invitation

The International Pool|Spa|Patio Expo is a great place to catch up with friends, make new acquaintances and exchange ideas, writes Jim McCloskey. That’s why he’s inviting you to visit the WaterShapes booth to chat about what’s on your mind — and his. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Crime and Enjoyment Dept.: Truck with a makeshift pool (and three women) in its bed pulled over by police. [more]

Something about the sloshing caught the cop’s eye.

Ancient Innovations Dept.: Getting around drought conditions was an elaborate way of life in India. [more]

I can’t escape being fascinated by these step wells..

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Broad Boundaries

In his Aqua Culture column for November 2010, Brian Van Bower

wrote about a growing influence on both his creative and business outlooks — something that had him thinking big. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

ClearWater Tech Releases CD30nx Ozone Generator

ClearWater Tech (San Luis Obispo, CA) has added the CD30nx ozone generator for commercial and residential swimming pools and spas to its product line. The compact, wall-mounted unit features a unique LCD user interface that allows for control and monitoring of ozone production, system status and diagnostics in a variety of languages. For details, click here.

Bobé Offers Grass Edging for Perimeter Overflows

Bobé Water & Fire Features (Phoenix, AZ) has introduced a Grass Edge kit that allows for installation of grass or artificial turf right up to the water’s edge in perimeter-overflow systems. Made with a stainless steel substructure that creates a complete barrier between grass and water, the system is engineered to eliminate the need for standard pool decks. For details, click here.

WPN UPDATE

A Special Offer
for Expo Visitors

Our Once-in-a-Lifetime Sale may be over, but if you stop by the WaterShapes booth (#1065 in the Genesis 3 Pavilion) during the International Pool|Spa|Patio Expo and hand us a business card, we’ll honor the ridiculously low introductory rate of $100 for your first year’s membership in the WaterShapes Professional Network. (See Jim McCloskey’s WaterShapes World blog above for details.)

The Network is growing: Shouldn’t you be climbing aboard?

2015/10.2, October 21 — A Royal Renovation, Gardens Abroad, Edge Design and more

THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS

October 21, 2015 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE

The Weight of History

Working on big restoration projects is always a challenge, but when the subject fountain is 300 years old and the setting is the famous Gardens of Versailles? Well, says David L’Heureux, it takes care, professionalism — and a determination to perform at the very highest level. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

English Lessons

Travel and garden tours are a great way to improve design knowledge and skills: All the ideas and inspiration drawn from the work of other times and cultures can be brought home, suggests Gail Fanning, and used to differentiate your work from that of stay-at-home competitors. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Aquatic Ceremony

Chicago has long been one of his favorite cities, writes Jim McCloskey. He’s particularly fond of the Art Institute’s galleries and it’s museum shop, but he’s also a fan of a classic allegorical representation of the Great Lakes just outside — among his many stops on visits there. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Winds of Life

Successful public art serves many purposes, observes glass sculptor John Gilbert Luebtow: Through form, location, materials and aesthetics, these works can inspire, soothe, excite, guide and enrich the day-to-day experiences of those who see them. True to this vision, he pursued all of those qualities in a recent project — one in which he graced a busy plaza with a sublime sculpture that will elevate the spirits of passersby for generations to come.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in October 2008, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Sculpting Edges

The art of crafting visually pleasing bodies of water calls for understanding and applying the right transitions from a pond to terra firma, says Anthony Archer Wills. Here, he shares techniques he uses to create looks that draw observers to explore the wonders at water’s edge. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Community Imperatives

We can all agree that learning to swim is important, writes Jim McCloskey. But is it important enough, he asks, to prompt watershapers to step back, think things through and develop all-new ways to make and keep pools accessible for those who need those lessons? [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Wow-Factor Innovations Dept.: Tesla owner uses a waterfall to recharge his car’s batteries. [more]

Is there a future for backyard hydroelectric plants?

Now You See It Dept.: Is this little girl jumping into the pool — or is she just a sign of the Internet’s silliness? [more]

Hard to believe this image went viral and stayed that way.

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

For the Love of Beauty

In his Details column of October 2015, David Tisherman railed against a certain mentality he’d observed all too often among designers and builders. To discover the object of his passion, click here. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

Brilliant Wonders from Custom Molded Products

Custom Molded Products (Tyrone, GA) manufactures Brilliant Wonders, a waterfall system with built-in LED lighting. Each easy-to-install, easy-to-service unit features a sawtooth edge to churn the water and enhance sound effects. The LEDs can be synchronized across multiple waterfalls and are intense enough to work both night and day. For details, click here.

AstralPool Offers the Viron Gas Pool/Spa Heater

AstralPool (Jacksonville, FL) manufactures the Viron gas heater for residential swimming pools and spas. Designed using heat-on-demand technology, the compact units feature operating efficiencies of up to 97 percent; save up to 20 percent on operating costs; and adjust burner levels to hold the water to within one degree of the desired temperature. For details, click here.

WPN UPDATE

WPN’s Once-in-a-
Lifetime Introductory Rate Expires Soon!

For ten more days, you can still sign on with the WaterShapes Professional Network at a Once-in-a-Lifetime Rate that you’ll never, ever see again — just $100 for the first year! This unbeatable offer will get you going as part of our new marketing service, which will bring you into quick, easy contact with consumers who want to make watershapes a part of their lives. Details of the offer are available when you go to the ‘Create Your Listing’ button on the upper right hand corner of WPN’s home page: To get there, click here!

And please don’t delay: This offer must expire October 31!

2015/10.1, October 7 — Construction Nightmares, Pond Rehabs, Glorious Tile and more

THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS

October 7, 2015 www.watershapes.com

LESSONS LEARNED

Expansive Errors

If there’s one big mistake on a pool/spa installation, writes Scott Cohen, correcting the situation can be painful. But if there are seven major errors — as there were in the ill-fated project discussed here — you can bet the pain will also include close encounters with attorneys. [more]

VIDEO GALLERY

Double Play

When a good pond goes bad, says Mike Gannon, the best way to correct its problems often involves adding a new pond alongside the original. As this video shows, the extra watershape helps heal the old one by serving as its biofilter, aerator and beautifying companion. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Let’s Do It!

‘Breathtaking’ is the best word to describe both this project and the leap Jimmy Reed took in persuading the client that the tile-installation part of this huge job — which was to involve application of thousands of square feet of glass tile to ten unique pools — was just a piece of cake. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Stars on the Wetlands

If there was ever a project that underscored the notion that ‘backyard swimming pools’ aren’t what they used to be, this one by Ron Gibbons and his Islip, N.Y.-based company is the perfect choice: Built with a dizzying range of functional and aesthetic features, the project was the combined effort of a client whose budget and ambitions were well matched with the talents and resources of a gifted designer/builder.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in May 2002, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

TRAVELOGUE

Cooling the Flock

Boston’s First Church of Christ, Scientist, is well known for its original design — and for the spontaneous child’s play that has developed in the facility’s deck-level fountain. Here, John Copley and Lynn Wolff show why it’s a must-see the next time you visit the Bay State. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Industrial-Strength Milestones

Reflecting on his long involvement with watershaping in all of its forms, Jim McCloskey has identified a set of key turning points — historic milestones that define what the pond, fountain and pool segments have become in the course of the past three decades. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

If You Can’t Bleat ‘Em Dept.: Herd of goats helps a Georgia town save big on pond maintenance. [more]

Mowing the verges is no longer such a messy issue.

Alcohol and Culture Dept.: Six British architects fined for stripping, cavorting in historic Roman fountain. [more]

It’d never happen back home — water would be too cold!

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Life at the High End

Back in 2005, Brian Van Bower addressed a collection of issues and considerations intended to help watershapers figure out how to break through and serve clients on an elevated plane. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

Flexible Hardscape Basins from Atlantic Water Gardens

Atlantic Water Gardens (Mantua, OH) has launched a line of flexible hardscape basins. Designed for use in formal waterfeatures that include open basins (particularly custom block reservoirs for which frost-proofing is a concern), the UV-resistant units are available in tan or grey in four-, six- and eight-foot widths and include pre-punched bulkhead fittings. For details, click here.

Brilliant Wonders from Custom Molded Products

Custom Molded Products (Tyrone, GA) manufactures Brilliant Wonders, a waterfall system with built-in LED lighting. Each easy-to-install, easy-to-service unit features a sawtooth edge to churn the water and enhance sound effects; the LEDs can be synchronized across multiple waterfalls and are intense enough to work both night and day. For details, click here.

WPN UPDATE

Join WPN today at
a Once-in-a-Lifetime Introductory Rate

For a limited time only, you can sign on with the WaterShapes Professional Network at a Once-in-a-Lifetime Rate that you’ll never, ever see again — just $100 for the first year! This unbeatable offer will get you going as part of our new marketing service, which will bring you into quick, easy contact with consumers who want to make watershapes part of their lives. Details of the offer are available when you go to the ‘Create Your Listing’ button on the upper right hand corner of WPN’s home page: Click here!

And please don’t delay: This offer is too good to last much longer!

2015/9.2, September 23 — Overflowing Consequences, Heater Talk, Small-Site Potential and more

THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS

September 23, 2015 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE

A Lesson in Communication

When he builds custom pools for fully engaged homeowners, Randy Beard usually has no problems with setting and exceeding expectations. But here’s a case where the client just couldn’t absorb a key message about how to use the pool — and therein hangs a tale. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Heat of the Moment

Those who own or manage swimming pools know that heating the water can be a major expense. But higher efficiencies and new technologies can bring those costs way down, says Mike Fowler, who leads a tour through the money-saving possibilities in this article. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Floating in Style

His admiration for a particular architect’s work led Jim McCloskey to make a pilgrimage to one of the master’s most esteemed projects — a Spanish pavilion that any watershaper should place on his or her must-visit list the next time the international-travel bug bites. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Down to Size

In recent years, many of his clients have asked southern California pond/stream specialist Steve Sandalis to provide them with watershapes that are relatively modest in size — but that are still long on beauty, value and enjoyment. He explores this trend here, profiling a showcase-home project that demonstrates the creative potential (as well as the challenges) embodied in systems where a little bit less can add up to a whole lot more.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in July 2011, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Protective Measures

Paolo Benedetti is always refining the ways in which he prevents the damage that weather and wear can do to the concrete materials he uses in his watershaping projects. Here, in his second article on construction with durability in mind, he looks at ‘fortifying’ concrete. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

The Way-Back Machine

Changes in the way public pools are conceived, designed, programmed and used these days have been very much on Jim McCloskey‘s mind — and have him trying to figure out what these different directions and possibilities might say about watershaping’s future. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Good Cause Dept.: Ohio waterpark fills a pool with soccer balls to raise money for cancer research. [more]

Great idea! But is that the Eiffel Tower in the background?

It Takes a Pond Dept.: Indian village finds a practical solution to its drought and food-supply issues. [more]

Simple aquatic solutions in a tough, fast-changing world.

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

When Fall’s in the Air

Selecting plants for spaces around watershapes can be a challenge, wrote Stephanie Rose in September 2000 — but you can help things along by considering a few key factors right from the start. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

Synchronorm Offers Depence Fountain-Design Software

Synchronorm (Bremen, Germany) publishes Depence, a software system that aids in the design and programming of professional fountain shows and displays. Featuring a three-dimensional visualization system that can simulate fountain, laser, video and lighting details with real-time accuracy, the system allows for one-click fountain-height adjustments. For details, click here.

New Variable-Speed Pump from Speck Pumps

Speck Pumps (Jacksonville, FL) has introduced the Badu EcoM3 V, a variable-speed pump that uses a permanent-magnet, brushless DC motor controlled by advanced logic electronics. Designed to reduce operating costs by up to 80 percent, the low-noise, non-corroding, medium-head units can be used in pools with salt concentrations up to 5,000 ppm. For details, click here.

WPN UPDATE

WPN to Offer Special Introductory Rate

Watch your email box! On October 1, we at WPN will be sending you a once-in-a-lifetime deal to get you involved with the WaterShapes Professional Network, the new service designed to bring you into quick, easy contact with consumers who want to make watershapes part of their lives. Details of the offer will all be included in the email!

Please click here to visit the WPN site and take a look at what we’re already doing — and there’s much, much more on the way!

2015/9.1, September 9 — Plaster Start-Ups, Cascading Precision, Winter Work and more

THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS

September 9, 2015 www.watershapes.com

START-UP DYNAMICS

Happy Plaster

Those who start up newly finished pools and spas typically use one of three recognized approaches in adding the water, notes Kim Skinner. Here, in the second of two articles on the subject, he focuses on the method he sees as offering the best shot at durable success. [more]

CASCADE CREATION

On the Edge

As any project comes to a close, Eric Triplett likes to reflect on how things have come together. That’s often fun, but as he suggests in this video, it can also be somewhat bittersweet when you finish your work and have to leave it to others to come on site to complete the picture. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Winter’s Work

For many years, Bruce Zaretsky faced the annual need to generate enough income to keep his business and his staff going through New York’s long, cold winters. Here’s a look at few of the most successful sidelines he found in his quest to keep the seasonal wolves at bay. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Interior Dynamics

A room that encloses an indoor swimming pool and does it well — by staying comfortable throughout the year, for starters, while also being easy on the eye — is something truly marvelous, says interior-watershape designer Kevin Ruddy. He addresses the aesthetic side of the challenge here, discussing materials of construction, finishes and what it takes to make pool enclosures stand up to moisture as well as the scrutiny of design-conscious clients.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in January 2004, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

TRAVELOGUE

At Play in the Fountain of Life

The project was all about scale and patience in design, engineering and construction, but that was only part of the story. As Eric Dobbs relates, this desert landmark in California is full of playfulness and whimsy — and visiting it will help you forget the sun’s blistering rays. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

My Digital Confession

A brief meeting at a trade show last fall led to a collaboration that has changed the way Jim McCloskey looks at watershape design. As he relates here, the experience has led him to rethink some long-held beliefs and open his eyes to new possibilities. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Questionable Taste Dept.: A new Swedish pool’s cheeky name pointedly recalls a WWII naval disaster. [more]

Sounds like ‘Pearl Harbor’ — maybe not the best option?

Perfectly Reasonable Dept.: Need an arboreal breather? Look no further than your own hammock hot tub! [more]

How long until it comes with it’s own pop-up television?

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Living in Color

Color is one thing, wrote David Tisherman in his Details column of September 2005, but color used correctly is quite another — and a key to a client’s long-term satisfaction with a watershaping project. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

Bobé Water & Fire Features Offers Perfect Flame

Bobé Water & Fire Features (Phoenix, AZ) has introduced the Perfect Flame, a modular system that allows for the creation of custom fire patterns. Engineered to produce effects that are substantially larger than those produced by common fire rings, the units are made of stainless steel and brass and work with either manual or automatic ignition systems. For details, click here.

Zodiac Launches New Jandy Pro Series Web Site

Zodiac Pool Systems (Vista, CA) has prepared a new Web site for its Jandy Pro Series products. Jandy.com features a modern user interface, mobile optimization and product recommendations for those looking to build, upgrade or save energy on a pool project and includes catalogs, manuals and user guides for online viewing or downloading. For details, click here.

WPN UPDATE

WPN Introduces Home-Page
Photo Features

We’ve been busy! Just recently, we put finishing touches on a new home-page feature that enables members of the WaterShapes Professional Network to upload brief pictorials about projects they want to share with consumers who are looking for professional assistance in developing the watershapes of their dreams. This new addition to the network puts program participants front and center — the perfect way to grab attention and make contact!

Please click here to visit the WPN site, then scroll down to see the sample feature we prepared to show what you can achieve with some text and a few images.

2015/8.2, August 19 — Savvy Recycling, Natural Wandering, Budget-Suited Design and more

THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS

August 19, 2015 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE

Salvaged with Care

If you want to lend a dash of authenticity and visual style to a classic property, writes Robert Nonemaker, look no further than local infrastructure projects: In older areas, they can supply you with salvaged materials well suited to your clients’ driveways, decks and poolscapes. [more]

WHAT IS IT?

#20: Organic Spa

It’s definitely off trend in the context of most of his current projects, notes Mike Farley. But as he discusses in this video, some of his clients are still bewitched by the romance of lagoon-style, free-form pools — and in this case, by a wonderfully inviting rock-rimmed spa. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Water Emotion

Spending a fair amount of time observing the countless active geysers in Yellowstone National Park is a must for idea-seeking watershapers, says Jim McCloskey. It’s so deep and rich in design inspiration that he concludes with a direct motivational cue: ‘Just go!’ [more]

ESSENTIAL

Mid-Range Mastery

Taking inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright and stylistic cues from the client’s home, pool designer and builder Michael Nantz worked a bit of backyard magic. By carefully shaping lines, contours, textures and elevations, he crafted a swimming pool and reflecting pond that balance water with wood, hardscape and landscape — and accomplished a high-flying design with a decidedly down-to-earth price tag.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in April/May 2000, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Protect and Serve

Natural stone is beautiful, says watershaper Paolo Benedetti, but sustaining that beauty means taking steps in the installation process to ensure easy maintenance and enduring protection. Here, he offers a detailed guide to what’s involved in locking in the splendor. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Odds — and Endings

A friend’s phone call about the evolving state of the economy prompts Jim McCloskey to reflect on changes he’s observed in watershaping businesses — many of them leaner, tighter, better organized and better led — and discusses how important these upgrades may be. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Unhappy Trails Dept.: U.K. couple invites uproar by bathing their horse in a popular public pool. [more]

It was just a small pony, but it stirred a big reaction.

Naturally Superior Dept.: A British Columbia park offers breathtaking rides down a big rock waterslide. [more]

If flumes in backyards looked this good, I’d sure want one!

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Wanted: Water Artists

Back in August 2000, Brian Van Bower was inspired to write about watershaping as a unique, creative endeavor — one he sees as rooted in technology, of course, but also raised by much loftier potential. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

Safe-Rain Offers the Waterboy Plus Dry-Fountain Kit

Safe-Rain (Toledo, Spain) has introduced Waterboy Plus, a dry-deck fountain kit made of stainless steel and featuring a controllable LED lighting system for creation of easily programmable water and light displays. Available with or without solenoids for a range of control possibilities, the units include angle correctors for mounting on slopes. For details, click here.

RicoRock Introduces Structural Grotto/Cave System

RicoRock (Orlando, FL) now offers builders an improved system for adding custom structural grottos and small caves to poolscapes. The new Component System uses lightweight boulder columns and grotto lids that allow for custom design and installation without intensive labor — everything from simple waterfall overhangs to swim-in caves. For details, click here.

WPN UPDATE

Welcome All Watershapers!

Greetings, and welcome to WPN Update! In future editions of WaterShapes, this space will carry brief memos to watershaping professionals — designers, engineers, builders, subcontractors and consultants — letting you know what’s happening with the WaterShapes Professional Network. Recently launched by the team at WaterShapes.com, this new marketing service is building unprecedented bridges between watershapers and clients interested in making water part of their lives and environments.

Future notices will be as brief and as to the point as this one: Watch for them in upcoming newsletters, and please click here to visit the WPN site!

2015/8.1, August 5 — Digital Engagement, Pond-Free Cascades, All-Tile Remodeling and more

THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS

August 5, 2015 www.watershapes.com

DIGITAL DESIGN

Rising Aspiration

For someone who started out as a pool designer who never visited his clients’ backyards, Jeromey Naugle has come a long, long way — and knows how important a part digital technology has played in his progress as a professional ‘paradise expert.’ [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Iridescent Perfection

When the goal is glass-tiled perfection, says Jimmy Reed, there’s no substitute for the hard work that goes into ideal surface preparation. And that’s especially true when, as in the case highlighted here, the project involves resurfacing an old, deep pool and its odd set of coves. [more]

CASCADE CREATION

Basin Burdens

Pond-free waterfalls are a great boon to backyards where there’s insufficient room for an appropriately sized pond, notes Eric Triplett. But as this video demonstrates, if you build them with skill, patience and a naturalistic spirit, you can make them look as though they belong. [more]

ESSENTIAL

The Graceful Dance

Residential garden and watershape design should be an intensely personal process, says landscape architect and watershaper Michelle Van De Voorde — one keyed to the needs and desires of the client but balanced by the designer’s singular passion for composing exterior spaces. To demonstrate how this balance takes shape in her own work, she leads us through the thought processes that distinguish a selection of her clients’ evocative backyards.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in July 2005, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Priced Out

In grazing his way around the web, Jim McCloskey has seen lots of articles about municipalities in the process of adding new public pools. That’s great, but there’s something about these stories that has led him to formulate and start asking some tough questions. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Mile-High Gallop

Located at the entrance to Denver’s NFL stadium is a vertical watershape that combines ambitious visual design, massive bronze sculptures, complex cascades, rugged rockwork and delicate alpine landscaping — well worth a visit, writes watershaper Jim Morris. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Mixed Messages Dept.: Energy drink uses waterfeature project to define a role for aquatic professionals. [more]

Dodge headaches by avoiding ill-fated D.I.Y. approaches!

Clear Messages Dept.: Why toil? It’s time to kick back and luxuriate in your own hot-tub hammock. [more]

Who needs manual labor when life can be so good?

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

The Necessity of Restraint

Back in August 2005, David Tisherman wrote about a tendency shared by many watershapers — an approach to projects that troubled him and led him to discuss an awareness he thought might help. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

Lightcraft Publishes 2015 Landscape Lighting Catalog

Lightcraft Outdoor Environments (Chatsworth, CA) has released its 2015 product catalog. The document covers directional flood and spotlights, wall floods, accent and path lights, hanging pendants and candle lights, bistro and string lights and inground well and hardscape lights, along with power supplies, transformers and accessories. For details, click here.

Aquascape Introduces Spillway Bowl Fountains

Aquascape (St. Charles, IL) now offers hand-cast spillway bowls, basins and stands. Made from glass-fiber-reinforced concrete (GFRC), the units have the patina and appearance of handcrafted stone fountains at a fraction of the weight, resulting in easy installation. In addition, individual units can be linked together to create elaborate displays. For details, click here.

THE AQUATIC QUIZ

ISIS Lists Swimming Pool Rules as
Temperatures Soar in Mosul, Iraq

Many water-related stories have been in the news of late — including reports connected to the three questions below.

1. With temperatures supposed to reach 118 degrees in Mosul, Iraq — the country’s fifth-largest city, which is controlled by the so-called Islamic State — ISIS launched a propaganda campaign aimed at showing how good life is under its rule. The terrorist organization published a series of photos on social media showing men and boys cooling off in a Mosul swimming pool, with one of the images focusing on a list of rules in effect at the pool. Which one of the following, according to vocative.com, is not a listed rule?

a. Wear long shorts and a t-shirt	b. Don’t swear while swimming
c. Don’t swim with women or infidels	d. Don’t swim when you should be praying

2. Right before the start of an Olympic triathlon qualifier and a Paratriathlon event in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Brazilian government released data showing that “water near where triathletes are preparing to compete this weekend is ‘unfit’ for swimming” due to fecal bacteria levels. The water sample on which the government’s findings were based, reports cbc.ca, came from the vicinity of what famous Rio beach?

a. Chupacabra Beach

b. Cucaracha Beach

c. Cocomambo Beach

d. Copacabana Beach

3. U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky recently “accidentally” broke her own world record in one of the women’s Olympic swimming events. According to bleacherreport.com, she accomplished the feat “despite the race [only] being a preliminary heat at the FINA World Swimming Championships in Kazan, Russia.” The article went on to note, “Making the [new] record all the more impressive was that Ledecky wasn’t even attempting to swim her best time.” Which swimming event was it?