2018 Editions (January-June) Archives - Page 2 of 2

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

January 24, 2018 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE

Perfection, Please

Perfection in tile application is an attainable goal, writesJimmy Reed, but as a look inside this magnificent project conveys, achieving that ambition takes time, patience, skill, precision and a day-to-day awareness on site that every last detail can (and will) make all the difference. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

A Plastering ‘Watch List’

Taking control of the plastering process is within reach of any quality-oriented designer or builder, declaresKim Skinner. To help you on your way, he offers this step-by-step guide to managing what should happen on site before, during and after plaster application takes place. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

A Monumental Fix

One of the most prominent public fountains in Venice, Italy, features a bold repair solution to what must have been a thorny problem. It may not be optimal in aesthetic terms, writesJim McCloskey, but at least it keeps a towering, historically significant composition in service. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Hearts of Stone

SculptorAlan Hochmanhas carved out a unique niche for himself by using the visual drama of natural stone and combining it with subtle flows of water. These works of sublime beauty and expressiveness draw inspiration from nature, eastern philosophy and a lifetime of study, but he carefully tailors each piece to suit a specific site and the needs of clients who share his passion for sculptures that play with contrasts and even contradictions.

This article, originally published inWaterShapesin June 2007, has been digitized for all readers. Clickhereto see the full text and enlarge the images to study them in detail.

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Edgy Issues

Beyond doubt, vanishing-edge pools can be spectacular. But asScott Cohenreports, there are some all-too-common design defects that can lead to a variety of distracting performance issues — and some of these problems aren’t so easy to address! [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Satisfying Feedback

Once each WaterShapes newsletter is released,Jim McCloskeyusually hears quickly from readers with comments and criticisms. Two of his own recent articles drew fast responses — one of a personal nature, the other filled with fascinating additions of historical detail.[more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Ouch Dept.:Man relaxing in a spa gets smacked in the face, and it had nothing to do with anything he said.[more]

This isnotthe sort of surprise guest that usually drops in.

Irresistible Temptation Dept.:Pedestrians and skaters take advantage of a frozen pool in Washington. [more]

And it had nothing to do with the government shutdown!

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

The Main Ingredient

All watershapers should be conscious of one huge fact, wrote Brian Van Bower back in 2003: Water plays such profound role in our lives and well-being that we should avoid doing this one thing like the plague.[more]

THE SHOPPING CART

Pebble Technology Adds Shimmering Sea

Pebble Technology(Scottsdale, AZ) offers Shimmering Sea, a combination of cultivated abalone and mother of pearl that brings subtle color to a pool’s water surface. The material is standard in ten of the company’s PebbleFina finishes and five of its PebbleSheen finishes, and it can be added to any other PebbleSheen and all PebbleTec finishes. For details, clickhere.

Hydrorider Introduces Aqua Treadmills

Hydrorider(Biscayne Park, FL) manufactures the Professional Aqua Treadmill for use in serious exercise or recuperation regimens. Combining adjustable resistance and a selection of three incline angles, the unit provides lower-body exercise without strain or pressure, features full-length handlebars for easy gripping and has a shock-absorbing platform. For details, clickhere.

WPN UPDATE

Sliding into

the Process

For years now, conventional wisdom has told us that the decision to purchase a watershape of any kind is a process that can take upward of five years from initial thought to actual commitment. That’s where theWaterShapes Professional Networkis so helpful: It gives homeowners and decision-makers an easy, private way to begin their research and an anonymous, private means of gathering information before they reach out and make contact with professionals whose work they admire.

Check it out — and get ready for your future!

TheNetworkis working just the way we’d hoped: Time toclickaboard?

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

January 10, 2018 www.watershapes.com

THE NON-TOXIC POOL

Toxin-Free Choices

Wrapping up a series in which he’s previously defined all of the reasons why he wants to offer his clients healthier pool water,John Cohengoes into great detail this time in describing possible system components — then narrows things down to those he’s now using in his projects.[more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

The Clean Slate

If he ever had any doubts about the value of updating and maintaining his extensive portfolio, writesKurt Kraisinger, this project — and the fact the site had been stripped bare — showed him the value of those images as his clients weighed possibilities and honed in on his ideas. [more]

WHAT IS IT?

#28: Channel Drain

Minimizing design disruptions is a keen desire among watershapers these days. That’s whyMike Farleyis happy to share this video — and so enthusiastic about the channel drains that have come along to help him dodge the visual and physical intrusions of traditional drain covers. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Designs on Edge

From standard coping and cantilevered decks to boulders and plants and rock veneers, watershapers are using an ever-broadening palette of edge treatments to accentuate and refine their designs. In this photo-essay, veteran landscape architectPeter Whiteillustrates the boundless possibilities that present themselves when it comes to setting up boundaries at water’s edge.

This article, originally published inWaterShapesin February 1999, has been digitized for all readers. Clickhereto see the full text and enlarge the images to study them in detail.

TRAVELOGUE

Timeless Impressions

Most people know Maya Lin for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., but watershapers in particular should become familiar with a range of her other works as well. Here,William Hobbstravels the country in highlighting a few of her fascinating watershapes. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

A Toxin-Free Future

John Cohen’s series on devising toxin-free pools has openedJim McCloskey‘s eyes to the importance of thinking about pool/spa water in more healthful contexts — and to exciting opportunities the comprehensive nature of the task opens for equipment suppliers and buyers.[more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

‘Tis the Season Dept.:Winter’s a great time for those who enjoy the delicate dynamics of frozen fountains.[more]

This one, in New York’s Bryant Park, is a frosty stunner.

‘Tis the Season Dept., Pt. 2:A broken pipe has awesomely awful results for a building in China. [more]

I wouldn’t wish this on anyone, but it has a unique beauty!

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Sustaining Quality

Sustainability was mostly a novel subject among watershapers back in 2008 — andBruce Zaretsky, long an advocate of the approach by that time, jumped right in to tell his colleagues like it was (and still is). [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

Oceanside Glasstile Publishes Catalog

Oceanside Glasstile(Carlsbad, CA) has released its Tile Specification Guide and Design Book — a volume available in both printed and digital formats. After illustrating a range of applications (including pools and spas), the idea book becomes a comprehensive catalog of glass and stone tile products, most of them suitable for submerged applications. For details, clickhere.

Product Catalog Available from Ledge Lounger

Ledge Lounger(Houston, TX) has issued a catalog on its complete line of durable, comfortable, UV-resistant lounges designed for in-pool and poolside use. The 44-page booklet comes in both printed and digital formats and includes photographs of applications as well as color charts and dimensional suggestions for in-pool lounging areas. For details, clickhere.

WPN UPDATE

Shortening

the Distance

When homeowners or facility managers start looking for watershapers to help them realize their ambitions and dreams, where do they start? Some are lucky enough to have business contacts or friends who can refer them to reliable professionals. But these days, many start their searching on the Internet — a great but indiscriminate resource filled with blind alleys, dead ends and sometimes unreliable information.

That’s where theWaterShapes Professional Networkcomes in:By offering a credible, unified web presence in which numerous watershapers are able to convey uniformly formatted, comparable information in an easily navigated template,WPNgives consumers initial access to the marketplace in an easygoing environment that guides them comfortably and confidently through the earliest stages of a significant purchase decision.

TheNetworkis working just the way we’d hoped: Time toclickaboard?