2017 Editions (July-December) Archives - Page 2 of 2

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

July 26, 2017 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE

Steely Resolution

This downtown Indianapolis apartment complex wanted a rooftop pool to help build a sense of community. Stainless steel was the answer here, writes Gary Novitski — a shell that allowed for a stylish, vanishing-edge look up top while keeping everything watertight and safely dry below. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

From Tank to Pond

Pitching in to move four large turtles out of a plain concrete tank and into a beautiful pond was soul satisfying, notes Ed Beaulieu. But making the project a gift to a pioneering turtle researcher? That was even more rewarding for the 50 skilled volunteers who helped make it happen. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Inexplicable

He was perfectly happy with the impression the fountain had made the first time he saw it, says Jim McCloskey. That’s why he’s so dismayed by the ‘updated’ version, which takes a powerful, kinetic sculpture and hobbles it in what he labels a sad, unfortunate renovation. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Flames On

Pyrotechnic-effects expert Karl Nettmann has been involved with creating dramatic flame effects for more than a dozen years, first for television and film productions and now in landscapes and other ‘real world’ spaces. Here, he discusses the range of effects that can be achieved using fire, the technology behind common systems and basic safety considerations that must be accommodated no matter the simplicity or complexity of an effect.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in March 2006, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study them in detail.

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Vanishing-Edge Solutions

Both structurally and hydraulically, vanishing-edge pools are more complex than the average backyard swimming hole. Here, Scott Cohen delves into a few of the details that most often lead to problems, offering valuable advice on forming, water leveling and catch basins. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

A Sinking Feeling

He generally sees travel as an exciting experience, writes Jim McCloskey. But in this case, it was also a sobering reminder of the extent to which our beloved coastlines are at risk — a reality easily seen in moving through the challenged waterways of one great European city. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Pages of History Dept.: Would you believe San Francisco once boasted the world’s largest outdoor pool? [more]
Or that the big ocean-fed brute was open until the 1970s?

It’s About Time Dept.: Olympics to include mixed-gender squads in several sports, including a swim relay. [more]

4 x 100 mixed medley is on the agenda for Tokyo 2020.

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Free Your Mind

Back in 2007, Brian Van Bower offered his observations on overcoming his own budget-related preconceptions about clients. Some points he made still ring true, but has today’s economy changed things? [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

Natural Wonders Waterfall Systems from CMP

CMP (Newnan, GA) offers Natural Wonders Waterfalls for adding sheer veils of water to pools, spas and other waterfeatures. Available in lengths up to eight feet, the units feature rear or bottom ports, require flows of only one gallon per minute per inch, can be made to fit any convex or concave contour and come in clear, white, grey and tan. For details, click here.

Atlantic Water Gardens Upgrades Pond-Free Kits

Atlantic Water Gardens (Mantua, OH) has updated its pond-free kits by including higher performance pumps and warm-white LED lights. The pre-matched packages come complete — including glue, cleaner, sealant, fittings and auto-fill devices — and pair vaults and spillways with energy-efficient pumps selected for specific stream dimensions. For details, click here.

WPN UPDATE

Colossal
Results

Those of you who design and build pools, spas, fountains, ponds, streams, waterfalls and other forms of contained, controlled water have perfected your capacity to create works of great beauty. But you face real challenges when it comes to conveying messages about your skills and talents to consumers and prospective clients who might be interested in having you help them make water part of their daily lives — if only they could find you!

That’s where the WaterShapes Professional Network can help: We’ve built a web presence in which scores of designers and builders of watershapes of all types participate as an Internet colossus — an entity large and interconnected enough that search engines have to treat it with respect. So if it’s a strong (or even just a stronger) web presence you’re after, please do take a look and get involved.

The Network is working just the way we’d hoped: Time to click aboard?

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

July 12, 2017 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE

Mountain Majesty

The property may be in Missouri, but the clients wanted a ‘mountain lake’ to go along with their big, Rockies-style lodge. Kurt Kraisinger was happy to oblige — both for the change of pace and for the scope and scale of what proved to be a vast, detailed and lengthy endeavor. [more]

WHAT IS IT?

#27: Fire Bowls

With so many projects featuring fire bowls these days, says Mike Farley, it’s getting all too easy to take them for granted. But as he discusses in introducing his video on the subject, it’s important to use them well — and to make certain they’re ready for year-round enjoyment. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Edge-Wall Essentials

Vanishing-edge pools have been around for a long time now, but Paolo Benedetti is aware that good numbers of watershapers are still making fundamental errors in their design and construction — including some problems he seeks to address with a few helpful tips. [more]

ESSENTIAL

A True Cliffhanger

Swimming pool designs have come a long way in recent years, says design and project manager Ron Yavis of Sunshine Pools & Spas — particularly when it comes to the high-end, custom-designed, vinyl-liner pools the company specializes in designing and building for some of the continent’s most spectacular settings. To make his case for ‘custom vinyl,’ he profiles a recent project perched high above the bright waters of Canada’s Lake Okanagan.

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

TRAVELOGUE

Images in Time

From early urban settlements to modern architectural settings, says Mark Holden, watershapes have played key roles in expressing the values of their societies. Here’s a tour of visitable places that will give you a sense of the cultural significance of what you all do. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Design or Art?

A wide-ranging (and sometimes strange) Internet debate about the differences between design and art caught Jim McCloskey‘s eye and started him thinking about what the discussion might mean for watershapers, watershaping and other practical forms of expression. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

You Are What Your Eat Dept.: Podcast discusses the potential of pond scum in nutrient-rich ‘cuisine.’ [more]
A healthy source of color — and a nutritional bonanza.

Gold Is Where You Find It Dept.: London group organizing hot tub boat rides on historic Regent’s Canal. [more]

Wood-fired heat and electric engines offer quiet comfort.

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Controlling Elements

In July 2002, David Tisherman wrote energetically about the need for designers and builders to pay scrupulous attention to an oft-overlooked issue. Do you think he was close to hitting the mark? [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

Zodiac Upgrades the Polaris Booster Pump

Zodiac Pool Systems (Vista, CA) has introduced the Polaris PB4SQ booster pump. Designed for energy efficiency, quieter operation and ease of installation and service, the high-performance, fan-cooled unit is made to power the company’s line of pressure-side cleaners and reduces energy consumption by 30 percent compared to older models. For details, click here.

Couture Outdoor Offers Double Daybed

Couture Outdoor (Southampton, NY) imports the Chill Daybed, a double-size unit with a retractable canopy and privacy curtains. Designed for a contemporary look in either residential or commercial settings, the systems feature durable powder-coated aluminum frames with inset wicker details and are available in 28 distinctive fabric colors. For details, click here.

WPN UPDATE

Collective
Strength

The rationale for banding together in an web network is simple: By creating a mass of companies — each one of them with its own Internet presence and all of them effectively aligned to one another by virtue of reciprocal links with the hosting site — an entity such as the WaterShapes Professional Network makes every participant seem larger and inherently more interesting to search engines. This leads to more exposure, more leads, more clicks, more prospective clients.

The Network is working just the way we’d hoped: Time to click aboard?