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2018 Editions (July-December)

2018/12.2, December 19 — Evolving Details, Year-Round Impact, Garden Gem and more

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

December 19, 2018 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE
Peeling the Onion
As part of a huge, evolving, multi-year project,Scott Christieand his colleagues were tasked with adding a pool to an estate’s big backyard. In the first of two articles on what took place, he guides us through a design process filled with details, changes — and a key surprise. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

A Splashy Statement

It’s a play pad with a difference: While offering ample opportunities for vigorous summer fun, notesPeter Arnold, the area’s looping set of spray rings are the visual heart of this Canadian housing development — even in winter when there are multiple feet of snow on the ground.[more]

TRAVELOGUE

Cold Comforts
A big advocate for spending time in botanical gardens,Jim McCloskeyhas developed a special fondness for those that are relatively compact. The one in Bellevue, Wash., fits that bill expertly and is well worth a visit the next time business or pleasure carries you to Seattle. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Winter Delights

Fountains have long been purposeful testimonials to the beauty of moving water and the effect it has on associated sculpture and landscaping. Less deliberate and controllable but still beautiful, say landscape architects and environmental artistsSuzanne Roe DirsmithandRon Dirsmith, is what occurs when a fountain and its patterns of mist and oversprayfreeze– effects that open a fresh, unique set of options to watershapers.

This article, originally published inWaterShapesin April 2001, has been digitized for all readers. Clickhereto see the full text and enlarge the images to study them in detail.

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

The Forensic Landscaper
Finding lessons in project failures,Bruce Zaretskydiscusses cases in which landscape professionals have made messes of things to such an extent that he’s been called in to determine the causes of the problems — including the collapse of one big retaining wall. [more]


WATERSHAPES WORLD

Farewell, 2018!

As the old year winds down,Jim McCloskeyreflects on the progress he’s seen in the watershaping industry during 2018 — and suggests that its momentum will carry on into a bright future no matter what might be happening with the economy as we bump along into 2019. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .
Humble Abode Dept.:Creative, determined gents build a home with a moat-like pool in an amazing hurry.

And they did it all with no more than primitive hand tools!
Hot Market Dept.:Australian engineers use what looks like a bell buoy to kick up beautiful, surfable waves. [more]
Never figured there’d be so much competition inthissector.


WATERSHAPES CLASSIC
On the March
Back in December 2013,Jim McCloskeydiscussed the process of turning printedWaterShapesarticles into digital versions — and shared his sense that there was no going back to the old way of doing things.[more]

THE SHOPPING CART
Bobé Offers Cannon Scuppers in Multiple Sizes

Bobé Water & Fire Features(Phoenix, AZ) makes Cannon Scuppers for use in raised pool walls and decorative waterfeatures. Available in copper and stainless steel with three other color finishes, the units have 1.5-inch inlets welded to the back and come with 1-, 1.5-, 2-, 2.5- and 3-inch outlets. Custom sizes are also available, as are escutcheon plates. For details, clickhere.
S.R. Smith Launches Updated Lighting Control

S.R. Smith(Canby, OR) has introduced poolLux Plus2, a lighting controller that manages up to two zones with independent or synchronized operation. It comes in a corrosion-resistant polycarbonate housing (ideal for pool environments), features a wireless remote control and, when used with the company’s lights, has one-touch color sync. For details, clickhere.

WPN UPDATE

Putting Your
Portfolio to Work
Watershapers have a distinctive ability to produce spectacular work — but oftentimes real difficulty when it comes to calling their skills and talents to the attention of homeowners and others who are interested in making water part of their daily lives.

That’s where theWaterShapes Professional Networkcomes in:By building a collective web presence in which dozens and, ultimately, hundreds of sites participate as an interlinked colossus, it involves watershapers in a group entity large enough that the search engines can’t overlook it. So if it’s a strong (or stronger) web presence you’re after, check it out.
TheNetworkis working just the way we’d hoped: Time toclickaboard?

2018/12.1, December 5 — Generic Plan Issues, India’s Stepwells, Aquatic Trends and more

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

December 5, 2018 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE
Weighing the Options
Instead of using soils and structural engineers to prepare plans tailored to a site’s specific needs, builders sometimes ordergeneric engineering plans and hope everything will work out for the best. That’s a debatable decision, writesPaolo Benedetti, for reasons he lays out here. [more]

EASTERN INSIGHT

Paths of Discovery

India’s stepwells are truly amazing, but relatively few people know anything about them.Victoria Lautmanwants to change all that, reporting on their long history in a book –andin a series for WaterShapes on three of the country’s most wondrous architectural and cultural treasures.[more]

COMMENTARY

Water Wisdom
Our human attraction to water is well documented, observesLauren Stack, but none of us are automatically comfortable around it, nor do we often learn to swim without access to lessons. That’s a pair of issues this article addresses while pointing toward a compelling aquatic future. [more]

ESSENTIAL

The Finishing Twist

In the long-awaited conclusion to our coverage of a grand, comprehensive exterior-design project in Texas, landscape architectMichael Percyguides us through a property where his firm dealt with every conceivable detail, from the entry drive and graciously secluded courtyard to the beautiful swimming pool with its unusual spiraling backdrop; the lavish dining and recreation areas; and the wonderfully hidden rock-lined spa.

This article, originally published inWaterShapesin November 2010, has been digitized for all readers. Clickhereto see the full text and enlarge the images to study them in detail.

TRAVELOGUE

The Power of Flowers
The renovation of San Francisco’s historic Conservatory of Flowers was a once-in-a-career opportunity forGeorge Forniand his colleagues to preserve and sustain fabulous aquatic plants while also salvaging a part of California’s rich history. It’s a place you definitely should see! [more]


WATERSHAPES WORLD

Engaging Ideas

This edition of WaterShapes includes a pair of unusual articles, notesJim McCloskey— one about a form of watershaping that blew his mind when he first encountered it a couple years back, the other filled with detailed information of significance to all watershapers. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .
If Plastic Could Speak Dept.:Hurricane Michael’s winds started this portable spa on an incredible journey.

After a 20-mile trek, it was found in unexpected repose.
If Paint Could Speak Dept.:One of David Hockney’s pool-centered paintings just sold for 90 million bucks. [more]
It’s a lovely canvas and a great setting, but holy cow!


WATERSHAPES CLASSIC
Reindeer-Proof Holidays
The holiday season is a time for caring and sharing, notesScott Cohen— but feeding Santa’s reindeer when they stop by is asking too much. Here are planting suggestions that will help keep them moving. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART
Hayward Launches OmniHub Smart Controller

Hayward Pool Products(Elizabeth, NJ) has introduced OmniHub, a smart, expandable controller that brings system management to existing pool/spa systems without the need to replace major equipment. It installs easily and offers remote operation of pumps, heaters, pool/spa and landscape lights, salt chlorinators, booster pumps and more. For details, clickhere.
W.R. Meadows Introduces Hardscape Sealer

W.R. Meadows(Hampshire, IL) has released Decra-Seal Natural, a water-based, non-yellowing, low-VOC, matte-finish sealer that enhances the appearance of decorative concrete, pavers, unglazed tiles and porous natural or artificial stone. The penetrating, salt-resisting material bonds to the substrate to help increase the hardscape’s service life. For details, clickhere.

WPN UPDATE

Easing into
the Process
If there’s one thing we’ve all learned in the past 20-odd years, it’s that the decision to purchase a watershape of any kind is a process that takesyearsfrom initial idea to installation.
That’s why a web forum like theWaterShapes Professional Networkis so important: It gives homeowners and other decision-makers an easy, anonymous way to gather information and, eventually, reach out to 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?

2018/11.2, November 21 — Glass-Tile Finesse, Revising a Legend, Calming with Water and more

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

November 21, 2018 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE
An All-Tile Adventure

As glass-tile specialistJimmy Reedsees it, the earlier he gets involved in a project, the better. In this case, however, he joined the project team a bit late — which led to some unusual and expensive consequences as well as tough decisions having to do with layout and visual flow.[more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Wabash Cannonballs

Reimagining a classic pool is a tall order, especially when the original was a legendary regional favorite. But that’s the task that confrontedGary Novitskiand his colleagues, who started by cleaning the slate and then delivering four new watershapes to meet modern-day aquatic needs. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Roundabout Ingenuity
The once-suburban Barnes art collection has completed a move to Philadelphia’s Franklin Parkway. It’s now a worthy pilgrimage for watershapers, saysJim McCloskey, if only for the clever way the design team used water to help ease the transition from noisy streets to quiet galleries.[more]

ESSENTIAL

Eastern Influences

For the past 30 years, landscape artist/architectJim Robinsonhas pursued his projects with a distinct focus on creating subtle and complex beauty. Based on traditions of Japanese gardens, the resulting sites range from the monumental to the decidedly intimate — but in all cases, his approach to the placement of plants, stone and water is directed to establishing spaces that speak to visitors with a timeless, sublime tranquility.

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

Walls of Stone
He has a passion for stone walls, notesBruce Zaretsky, especially when they’re stacked and made without mortar. But there’s a fine line between those that endure beautifully and those that are just expensive heaps of rock, he adds, explaining here how to make the durable kind. [more]


WATERSHAPES WORLD

Viva Las Vegas!

His recent visit to the International Pool|Spa|Patio Expo was a special treat, writesJim McCloskey— one filled with opportunities for reunions with old friends and great conversations with new ones. But there was, he concedes, at least one disappointment as well.[more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .
Ready-Made Dept.:German town tips a cap to a local firm, using its products as part of a cool water organ.

Never thought I’d see pressure washers in an artistic light.
Nature Wins One Dept.:Large, colorful fish take over a water-filled basement in Philadelphia’s Navy Yard.[more]
Photo shows how powerful the urge toward life can be!


WATERSHAPES CLASSIC
It’s Always Something!
You need to take care in selecting plants, advised Stephanie Rose in her November 2003 Natural Companions column, because making the wrong choice can lead to misadventures of the ‘invasive’ kind. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART
Zodiac Introduces HydroCool LED Lights

Zodiac Pool Systems(Vista, CA) now offers nicheless LED lights featuring HydroCool technology through its Jandy Pro Series. The energy-efficient, water-cooled units are designed to fit in standard 1-1/2-inch return fittings, operate at lower wattages with high light outputs and have diffuser lenses to delivers consistent color with fewer hot spots. For details, click here.
Great American Offers Flexible Spillway System

Great American Waterfall Co.(Spring Hill, FL) manufactures Aqua Zero Edge, a two-piece spillway system that adds detail to and speeds completion of raised pool walls. Available as standard two-foot-long units for geometric and some freeform applications, the system consists of a mounting plate and a trough dam that can be modified on site. For details, clickhere.

WPN UPDATE

Gaining Ground
in the New Year
Ifyou design and/or build pools, spas, fountains, ponds, streams, waterfalls or other forms of contained, controlled water, you have a proven ability to create projects of great beauty. But how do you spread the word about your skills and talents to those who might want you to help them make water part of their daily lives?

TheWaterShapes Professional Networkcan help you there. We’vebuilt a web site where dozens of designers and builders of watershapes of all types participate as an Internet collective — a grouped entity large enough and interrelated in ways that make search engines treat all participants 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.
TheNetworkis working just the way we’d hoped: Time toclickaboard?

2018/11.1, November 7 — Updating Views, New-Pond Adventures, Waterfront Work and more

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

November 7, 2018 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE
Expansive Vision

The homeowners had waited decades to revamp their backyard and cameto the project with high expectations about how their new spa, fountain and deck would look. Now it was up toGrant Smithto solve a few tricky technical issues while makingthe most of the distant views.[more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

The New-Pond Blues

It doesn’t happen every time. But asMike Gannonreports here, new ponds will head in this disturbing direction often enough that he preparesallof his clients to deal with a distressing transformation that can occur within weeks after a pond has been filled with water for the first time. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Working at Water’s Edge
Designing and buildinganypool in close proximity to a body of water has its challenges. But if you start by focusing on one primary goal, writesWilliam Drakeley, you’ll find that the rest of the tasks involved in these technically demanding projects will become much more manageable. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Opening a Shell

For nearly six years, this was a project that occupied most ofJames Atlas‘ working life, challenging him and the staff at Platinum Poolcare Aquatech with pursuing development of a watershape complex marked by great ambition, shifting needs and innumerable revisions. Now that his work is complete and the site is finally ready for its close-ups, he guides us through a masterpiece he justly sees as his firm’s crowning achievement.

This article, originally published inWaterShapesin January 2009, has been digitized for all readers. Clickhereto see the full text and enlarge the images to study them in detail.

TRAVELOGUE

Welcome to Paradise
When it comes to listing the most ambitious uses of water in recreational settings, the resort property known as Atlantis should quickly come to mind, saysSteve Kaiser. Withits multiple swimming pools, waterslides, fountains and marine exhibits, it’s a must-visit paradise in the Bahamas. [more]


WATERSHAPES WORLD

An Event to Remember

After returning from the recent ‘Designing Water’ symposium at Longwood Gardens,Jim McCloskeysorted through all of his impressions of attendees, presentations and Longwood’s Main Fountain Garden before whittling the list down to three thoughts he wants to share.[more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .
Confirming the Obvious Dept.:UKstudy shows positive effects of swimming on anxiety and depression.

Seems to me like a better option than doctor visits or drugs.
Sensible DIY Dept.:Australian gent builds a hot tub from a pile of rocks, a bunch of clay and a supply of wood.[more]
It doesn’t stress comfort, but it’s ingenious just the same.


WATERSHAPES CLASSIC
Nature’s Way
Back in November 2008,Brian Van Bowerturned his attention to the natural side of watershaping — and elaborated on a familiar set of constraints he’s encountered along the way. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART
Water-Level Controller from Pentair

Pentair Aquatic Systems(Sanford, NC) makes the IntelliLevel water-leveling system. The units allow for accurate addition of water through pressure sensing, ultrasonic water-level detection and an electro-mechanical microventing system to measure and add water to an accuracy within a quarter inch, measuring added water to ensure the correct fill. For details, click here.
Cor-Ten Fire Pits from Paloform

Paloform(Brampton, Ontario, Canada) manufactures Bol fire pits made from Cor-Ten steel as a dramatic centerpiece for any outdoor space. The wide, shallow, heavy-gauge vessels have 42-inch diameters and may be used with natural gas or propane burners in either manual or automatic versions — or with a steel grate insert for wood-burning fires. For details, clickhere.

WPN UPDATE

On the Lookout
for 2019 Leads?
Manywatershapers have, through the years, put large sums toward building their own beautiful web sites, then wondered why prospective clients haven’t been beating paths to their doors. The hold-up? It’s a simple fact that building a strong web presence as a stand-alone site is a daunting challenge — and that’s precisely why we started theWaterShapes Professional Network.

By building a collective presence in which dozens and, eventually,hundredsof sites participate as an interlinked colossus,WPNbecomes a group entity the search engines can’t overlook. So if it’s a strong (or stronger) web presence you’re after, check it out.
TheNetworkis working just the way we’d hoped: Time toclickaboard?

2018/10.2, October 17 — Montana Splendor, Corporate Assertion, Transforming Flows and more

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

October 17, 2018 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE
A Big Sky Statement

Given the opportunity,Raymond Junglesjumped at the challenge of surrounding a home far from his usual base with water and native plants. As he discusses here, making it work was about identifying a new palette and using it in ways that harmonized with his design instincts.[more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Sweeping Beauty

The logistics were tough and the technical challenges even tougher, notesRobert Nonemaker. But a systematic approach (and a supportive general contractor) helped him and his staff develop a hydraulically complex fountain system for a corporate client with big ambitions. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Calming Undulations
The area across the street from Santa Monica’s City Hall was once mostly parking lots. But now, notesJim McCloskey, it’s been transformed into Tongva Park — an extraordinary, rolling landscape complete with a line of rill-linked waterfeatures that reward a relaxing stroll. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Garden Tea

With equal doses of patience and understanding, observes environmental artistRick Driemeyer, great watershapes and gardens can emerge from extended periods of close interaction between designers and their clients. A case in point is the project shared here, where long acquaintance with his clients’ wants and needs enabled him to transform a compact teahouse/pond/waterfall composition into a finely decorated, highly personalized sanctuary.

This article, originally published inWaterShapesin January 2008, has been digitized for all readers. Clickhereto see the full text and enlarge the images to study them in detail.

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

The Making of a Great Wall
Retaining walls are made to do an awesome job: High or low, long or short, upslope or downslope, notesBruce Zaretsky, they’re called on to keep earth movement from wreaking havoc on watershapes or any other ‘permanent’ fixtures installed on or below their hillsides. [more]


WATERSHAPES WORLD

Travelin’ Man

The start of trade-show season always makes this abusy time of year forJim McCloskey. But this fall, his schedule also includes a special pilgrimage to Pennsylvania in addition to all of the preparations related to attending the International Pool|Spa|Patio Expo in Las Vegas. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .
Dream Dip Dept.: A fortunate few will be allowed to swim in Hearst Castle’s fully restored Neptune Pool.

Those fifty lucky people will pay big bucks for the privilege.
Life Imitates Art Dept.:Two guys use a swimming pool to conjure visions of a classic Michelangelo scene. [more]
It’s not aliteralrendition, but it’s still pretty impressive.


WATERSHAPES CLASSIC
The Trouble with Liners
Most pond builders rely on liners to create their bodies of water, observedDouglas Rothin October 2003. But when it comes to creating high-quality naturalistic waterfeatures, he wrote, there’s a better way. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART
Speck Offers Special Pump for Waterfeatures

Speck Pumps(Jacksonville, FL) has launched its Model 21-80/30G, a high-efficiency pump that moves water to feed vanishing edges, waterfalls, fountains or slides. Designed for quiet operation with four-inch suction and return ports, the all-plastic unit provides maximum flow at low head and is non-corrosive, salt-tolerant and chemical/UV resistant. For details, clickhereand scroll down.
Fire/Water Columns from Grand Effects

Grand Effects(Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) manufactures fire-and-water columns that operate automatically and are compatible with pool/spa controllers. Fabricated in black concrete to resemble basalt, the easy-to-install columns come in three heights — 20, 28 and 30 inches — and can be used individually or as combined multi-tiered compositions. For details, clickhere.

WPN UPDATE

Have Any
Questions?
TheWaterShapes Professional Networkwill be represented in Las Vegas from October 31 through November 2 at the International Pool|Spa|Patio Expo. Please do stop by Booth 1646 — right in the heart of the Genesis Pavilion — to learn more about theNetworkand discuss its future plans.

Participants in the program have shared their listings with thousands of the consumer-oriented site’s visitors in the past year — and those encounters have resulted in significant traffic from theWPNsite directlyto the listed companies’ own web sites. It’s a marvelous marketing opportunity — inexpensive and ‘consumer-friendly’ in the richest sense of the term.

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

2018/10.1 — Hilltop Hideaway, Pond Tuning, Piers in Place and more

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

October 3, 2018 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE
A Champion’s Pool

The project started with a touch of mystery, saysChuck Baumann, but not knowing the name of the client up front was no barrier to defining the site’s potential — or to asking for an expanded budget that would take full advantage of breathtaking views of San Francisco and its bay. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Shared Vision

As his watershaping career has progressed,Dave Gartonhas learned the value of finding ways to help his clients fully express themselves. It makes business sense, he says, but it also leads to odd little challenges that have fostered the constant expansion of his technical capabilities. [more]

WHAT IS IT?

#31: Piers
His projects don’t often require them, reportsMike Farley, but as he writes in a brief introduction to a video on the subject, there are times when piers are an essential construction detail — one that requires expert guidance in finding the right response to local soil conditions. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Affairs of the Art

Completing projects of singular beauty for high-end clients is a passion for Arizona watershaperSteve Oliver, and those clients return the favor by granting him a tremendous level of creative freedom. That’s surely the situation with the watershape seen here, where he has sifted through a range of rich and contrasting elements to create a composition that’s as much a work of art as it is a pleasant place to go swimming.

This article, originally published inWaterShapesin October 2003, has been digitized for all readers. Clickhereto see the full text and enlarge the images to study them in detail.

TRAVELOGUE

When Music Meets Water
Water that dances in time to music has become the key to success in fountain design in recent years — and for good reason, writeKen MartinandGerald Tester. As a prime example, you should seek out this tuneful watershape the next time you’re visiting the New York area. [more]


WATERSHAPES WORLD

Look Back, Move Forward

As WaterShapes’ 20th anniversary approaches,Jim McCloskeyrecalls a couple of key events and what they meant to the old magazine — then catches up by starting a discussion of recent transitions and what they’ll mean as the enterprise moves toward its bright future. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .
Personal Precision Dept.: Parking practice results in a car getting a bath in a Maryland public pool.

Nobody was hurt, but the driver’s foot needs a talking-to.
Dreamy Vision Dept.:DavidHockney’s painting ‘Pool with Two Figures’ poised to smash auction records. [more]
It may well become the first-ever $80-million swimmin’ hole.


WATERSHAPES CLASSIC
Planting Places
Back in October 2008,Brian Van Bowershared his thoughts on looking beyond the narrow boundaries of pools and spas to encompass the potential of the rest of the site — especially in one key area. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART
Paramount Offers Telescoping Water Effects

Paramount Pool & Spa Systems(Chandler, AZ) makes the Parascope, a telescoping waterfeature that rises when actuated and then drops down flush with the pool surface when it’s time to play or swim. The adjustable-height units feature three flow patterns (flower, bubbler and fountain) and may be installed on steps, benches, sun shelves or floors. For details, clickhere.
Greenscreen’s Plantable Mesh Columns

Greenscreen(Los Angeles, CA) manufactures Columns, a free-standing vertical section or a cover for an existing post. Part of the Elements line, the units come in standard or custom diameters for easy installation and in standard or custom lengths in two-inch increments up to 14 feet tall. Units can be stacked and combined with other Elements modules. For details, clickhereand scroll down.

WPN UPDATE

Building for
Tomorrow
TheWaterShapes Professional Networkis all about building a credible, unified web presence where numerous watershapers can convey uniformly formatted, readily compared information in an easily navigated consumer resource. By doing so,WPNgives consumers initial access to the marketplace in an environment that guides them comfortably and confidently through the earliest stages of a significant purchase decision.


True, some homeowners and facility managers are lucky enough when they start looking for watershapers to have friends or colleagues who can refer them to suitable firms. But more often these consumers are on their own — and most start their hunt by searching on the Internet, where finding individual watershapers is a hit-and-miss process.WPNtakes frustration out of the quest by offering a common, neutral web resource filled with possibilities.
TheNetworkis working just the way we’d hoped: Time toclickaboard?

2018/9.2, September 19 — Revealing Potential, Weaving Waterways, Inspired by O’Keeffe and more

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

September 19, 2018 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE
The Perfect Perch

The homeowner saw his backyard as an incurable disaster, butShane LeBlancfound great potential on its open slope — as well as a golden opportunity to test out some unique design concepts he figured he could use in transforming the unadorned space into something truly spectacular. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Dressed for Success

Set deep in the mountains of South Korea, this golf course is a monumental achievement in land contouring and water management. In his concluding article about this enormous undertaking,Ken Alpersteincovers what it took to go from compacted rubble to water-laced dreamscape.[more]

TRAVELOGUE

Looping Petals
It’s a beautiful sculpture mirrored by a grand reflecting pool, writesJim McCloskey, proud of the fact that his daughter had a role in making it possible. If you want to see it — and the paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe that inspired it — you’ll need to get yourself to the Bronx sometime soon![more]

ESSENTIAL

Subterranean Energy

Although heating water by using energy found beneath the earth’s surface is far from a new idea, watershape designer/builderDouglas Cookreports that only recently has this geothermal bounty become available for use with pools and spas. Here, he offers a primer on this emerging technology, discussing ways in which the benefits of a fully renewable energy supply are starting to turn clients’ heads — and transform the way watershapes are heated or cooled.

This article, originally published inWaterShapesin February 2010, has been digitized for all readers. Clickhereto see the full text and enlarge the images to study them in detail.

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

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


WATERSHAPES WORLD

Unruly Times

ForJim McCloskey, the summer of 2018 featured way too many stories about people doing really dumb things around watershapes. Here’s a sampling of what’s been happening — and some thoughts on the threat these incidents pose to the enjoyment of significant public resources.[more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .
Permanent Wave Dept.: Kelly Slater’s artificial breakers are shaking up the world of competitive surfing.

Here’s a deep paddle into a truly transformative technology.
No Thanks Dept.:Norwegians clamber up a diving tower to outdo one another with amazing bellyflops. [more]
Nobodyreallygoes for it, but it’s still highly cringe-inducing.


WATERSHAPES CLASSIC
On a Wire
The Internet has been with us for some time, observesBrian Van Bower— but that doesn’t mean that everyone was fully on board (or satisfied) when he wrote this evaluation of the state of the art in September 2008. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART
Little Giant Introduces Pool-Cover Pumps

Little Giant(Oklahoma City, OK) makes pool-cover pumps that prevent the accumulation of rainwater or melted snow. They attach to standard garden hoses for easy water removal; are equipped with a removable intake screen for easy cleaning; and clear 1,700 gallons per hour with a 1/3-horsepower pump. Manual and automatic versions are available. For details, clickhere.
Basecrete Launches Crack-Repair System

Basecrete Technologies(Sarasota, FL) offers SlabStitch for the repair of concrete cracks. Designed to transfer load and stress away from the fracture while producing tensile strength across the crack for a permanent structural solution, the system includes anchor wedges, concrete-repair mortar and mesh to seal the crack and prevent water penetration. For details, clickhere.

WPN UPDATE

Are You Truly
Prepared for 2019?
If there’s one thing we’ve all learned in the past 30-odd years, it’s that the decision to purchase a watershape of any kind is a process that most often takesyearsfrom initial idea to installation.
That’s why a web forum like theWaterShapes Professional Networkis so important: It gives homeowners and decision-makers an easy, anonymous way to gather early, basic information before reaching out to make direct contact with professionals whose work they admire. Clickhereto check it out — and get ready for your future!
TheNetworkis working just the way we’d hoped: Time toclickaboard?

2018/9.1, September 5 — Additive Exercise, Shaping Nature, Relining the Neptune Pool and more

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

September 5, 2018 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE
Room Additions

The clients wanted to add a pool to the existing features of their large backyard.Kurt Kraisingerwas happy to oblige, but he had a grander vision for reorganizing their entire space around a core fire feature and had to figure out a way to persuade them to come along for the ride. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Augmenting Reality

Asked to beautify an unlovely, long-duration mess caused by a natural, spring-fed stream,Steve Sandalisknew from experience that working directly with Mother Nature is serious business. That’s why he took a big step back and let the setting guide his efforts — and his schedule.[more]

NEPTUNE POOL RENEWAL

Interior Splendor
Wrapping up his discussion of the restoration of the Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle,Matthew Reynoldscovers the painstaking process of resurfacing the shell with new marble as an exact replica of the original and making ready for the reintroduction of 350,000 gallons of water.[more]


ESSENTIAL

Straight and Narrow

The Pacific coast of northern Costa Rica is lined with white sand beaches and dense vegetation — beautiful surroundings that watershaperJoan Rocahas long used to inspire his work. Here, he takes us to visit one of his most recent projects, this one for a commercial property with requirements that called on him to find different ways of expressing himself and draw on the character of the surroundings while using only the simplest possible forms.

This article, originally published inWaterShapesin March 2010, has been digitized for all readers. Clickhereto see the full text and enlarge the images to study them in detail.

TRAVELOGUE

A Recipe for Jambalaya
Once the site of an abandoned sewage plant, Jambalaya Park in Gonzalez, La., merits a visit if you’re in the area. It stands as testimony to just how ambitious a renovation project can be — and, writesLes Ewen, how tangled the path to success can sometimes become. [more]


WATERSHAPES WORLD

Valued and Valuable

Pools are fixed objects in changing environments, notesJim McCloskey, which is why, after some time spent pondering his own backyard, he comes away with praise for watershapers who take the time to inform their clients about what might be coming in their futures. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Why in the World Dept.:Tourist arrested for trying to do something stupid while visiting Trevi Fountain. [more]

What is is about cultural treasures that inspires such idiocy?

Tale as Old as Time Dept.:Ancient swimming pool unearthed in the heart of Petra’s marketplace. [more]
Seems like people have been having good ideasforever.


WATERSHAPES CLASSIC
Proportional Response
Watershape designs can easily get out of hand, wroteBrian Van Bowerback in September 2003, but he hoped through this column to persuade watershapers to step back and avoid getting carried away. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART
FX Luminaire’s Compact Underwater Lights

FX Luminaire(San Diego, CA) produces Model LP, the company’s smallest submersible LED lighting fixture. Designed for compact spaces, the low-voltage fixtures are made of die-cast natural brass for durability, include support bases and come with three color filters as well as a range of available lead lengths. They also have tamper-resisting features. For details, clickhere.
CAT 6000 Controller from Hayward

Hayward Pool Products(Elizabeth, NJ)now offers the CAT 6000 water-chemistry controller. Featuring a full-color touch screen, the unit guides the operator through programming, generates multiple reports and has a sensing technology that allows for truly precise measurement and control of free chlorine, pH, temperature and conductivity. For details, clickhere.

WPN UPDATE

Want Traffic
on Your Site?
Many watershapers have, through the years, invested heavily in building their own beautiful web sites, then wondered why prospective clients haven’t been beating paths to their doors. The hold-up? It’s a simple fact that building a strong web presence as a stand-alone site is a tough row to hoe — and that’s precisely why we started theWaterShapes Professional Network.

By building a collective presence in which dozens and, eventually, hundreds of sites participate as an interlinked colossus,WPNbecomes a group entity that search engines can’t overlook. So if it’s a strong (or stronger) web presence you’re after, check it out.
TheNetworkis working just the way we’d hoped: Time toclickaboard?

2018/8.2, August 22 — Playing the Angles, Grand Landshaping, Halprin in L.A. and more

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

August 22, 2018 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE
On the Waterfront

When the homeowner suddenly (and completely) changed his mind about this project’s direction,it was easy to slide into a new groove, says Andrew Kaner, simply because the fresh start offered so many opportunities to transform the pool, deck and views from so-so to spectacular. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Moving a Mountain

Building this golf course wasn’t a subtle process, notesKen Alperstein. As he discusses in the first of a pair of articles on the project, they started by knocking over a South Korean mountain, then, after extensive contouring, began working on two heavily regulated water systems.[more]

TRAVELOGUE

By the Books
Los Angeles boasts a multitude of distinctive waterfeatures you should see when you visit.But only a handful of them, writesJim McCloskey, can be traced to the legendary landscape architect Lawrence Halprin– including the Maguire Gardens adjacent to the Central Library.[more]


ESSENTIAL

Improving Your Moves

Building pools and other watershapes to reduce their energy or chemical usage while also taking advantage of rainwater or recycled construction materials isn’t rocket science, notes watershaperJamie Ori. But it does require thinking differently about the fundamental nature of watershapes as they relate to environment — and even more so, about how you approach clients when it comes to addressing their increasingly ‘green’ inclinations.

This article, originally published inWaterShapesin October 2009, has been digitized for all readers. Clickhereto see the full text and enlarge the images to study them in detail.

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Subtracting a Deck
If a client asks you to get rid of an old deck all the way up to the coping without adding a new deck, you should think things through before taking the job. If you don’t, advisesScott Cohen, things can go very wrong — and you might be on the hook for a substantial shell-repair bill.[more]


WATERSHAPES WORLD

Hurtful Impulses

It’s both depressing and discouraging, writesJim McCloskey, to see news stories about intolerance. It’s even worse, he adds, when it’s related to the use of swimming pools that serve so wonderfully in bringing people together in the common cause of having fun. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .
Fun Is Where You Find It Dept.: Torrential rainfall turns a Swedish subway station into a huge pop-up pool.

The water quality was probably scary, but what the heck?
Going Too Far Dept.:Soap turns San Francisco’s strangest fountain into a sudsy (and costly) mess. [more]
Nobody shouldeverdo this, but it’s pretty spectacular.


WATERSHAPES CLASSIC
Stone Stepping
In designing spaces, wroteBruce Zaretskyin August 2008, he thinks about the way people will move around in them with particular care when it comes to what he sees as an often-overlooked feature. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART
The Muse Collection from Oceanside Glasstile

Oceanside Glasstile(Carlsbad, CA) has introduced the Muse line of mosaic glass tile. Available in three sizes — 7/8-inch square, 1-3/8 inch square and 7/8 by 1-3/8 inches — the material is available in 19 unique patterns as well as in custom blends and gradients. The line also includes a variety of trim pieces for clean, consistent, finished looks. For details, clickhere.
Speck Debuts the Badu Block Multi Pump

Speck Pumps(Jacksonville, FL) has introduced Badu Block Multi, a pump for commercial pools, fountains and waterfeatures. Designed for easy installation, operation and service, the unit stacks the pump, motor, and strainer housing vertically — a compact footprint ideal for crowded equipment rooms. It’s available in 7.5-, 10-, 15- and 20-horsepower models. For details, clickhereand scroll down.

WPN UPDATE

Are You
in the Game?
These days, the Internet is the information resource of choice for consumers chasing a huge array of goods and services. But it’s tough for an individual business to capture eyes amid the bewildering quantity of options facing these prospects as they try to find ways to make something like water part of their home or working lives.

That’s why we started theWaterShapes Professional Network— a place consumers are using to get basic information about pool. pond and fountain designers and builders before they start making direct phone calls to arrange for site visits and bids. It’s a new way of making initial contact and getting in the game.
TheNetworkis working just the way we’d hoped: Time toclickaboard?

2018/8.1, August 8 — The Right Revision, Comforting Spaces, Neptune Pool Repiping and more

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

August 8, 2018 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE

Changing Spaces

Taking a chance with someone who wasn’t yet his client,Skip Phillipssketched up an alternative to a proposed pool renovation and ended up completely transforming a large backyard space. It was suddenly a major project — and then came a long list of efficiency-oriented details! [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE
Healing Ways

Through the years,Bruce Zaretskyhas designed enough healing gardens that he knows just how comforting they can be for patients, caregivers and loved ones. But they only work, he notes,when designers keep some basic principles and several user-specific design factors in mind.[more]

NEPTUNE POOL RENEWAL

Beneath the Shell
It’s been an honor to restore the Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle, writesMatthew Reynolds. Butworking under its shell posed multiple challenges, from cramped spaces and hard-to-track piping runs to the constant awareness they were tinkering with a precious cultural treasure.[more]


ESSENTIAL

The Art of the Rectangle

The pool and spa are simple in shape, says builderDavid Tisherman, but the project was anything but: Built on a wildly unstable Southern California hillside and intertwined with extensive remodeling of the clients’ home, the serene finished product contrasts starkly with tales of change orders and complicated decision-making processes — not to mention a desire on the part of client and designer to strive for nothing but the best.

This article, originally published inWaterShapesin August 2000, has been digitized for all readers. Clickhereto see the full text and enlarge the images to study them in detail.

TRAVELOGUE

Thoughts for the Eyes

Balances of plant and stone, layered views, controlled perspectives, carefully plotted footpaths and artful water: All these, writesDouglas Roth, come together in Japanese gardens — and particularly at Kyoto’sKatsura Rikyu, which you should definitely see on any trip to Japan.[more]


WATERSHAPES WORLD

Merited Attention

An unexpectedly large flurry of recent media features on the beauty, splendor and significance of swimming pools setJim McCloskeyto conjecturing about factors behind the uptick. It’s all good news, he thinks, but he suspects it’s a story that will keep unfolding for years to come. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .
Just Amazing Dept.: Have you seen the 350-foot-tall waterfall on the side of this building in China?

It runs infrequently, but when flowing it puts on quite a show.
To Be Young Dept.:Boys imitate their mother’s dive into a pool, and the resulting video just had to go viral. [more]
The first kid does OK, but baby brother? He’s another story.


WATERSHAPES CLASSIC
Neat and Clean
Always a stickler for details,Brian Van Bowerused his Aqua Culture column in August 2003 to define what he considered to be a crucial and very public measure of a watershaper’s professionalism.[more]

THE SHOPPING CART
Pentair Adds Variable-Speed Pump with Flow Control

Pentair Aquatic Systems(Sanford, NC) has introduced an IntelliFlo variable-speed pump that also provides precise flow control for increased efficiency, savings and performance. The dual-technology design ensures that the desired flow rate is maintained, no matter the conditions. It also has a rotatable keypad, eight speed settings and a built-in timer. For details, clickhere.
Copper Spas and Hot Tubs from Diamond Spas

Diamond Spas(Broomfield, CO) offers custom spas and hot tubs made from copper, a material known for durability in both indoor and outdoor applications. Available with earthy dark and medium-brown colors, the vessels can come in any size or shape with unique seating arrangements, step entries and jet and LED lighting placements. For details, clickhere.

WPN UPDATE

Ready to Make
First Contact?

These days, the Internet is the information resource of choice for those looking for goods and services. But it’s tough for individual businesses to capture attention and interest amid the bewildering array of options facing consumers as they try to find ways to make water part of their home or working lives.

That’s why we started theWaterShapes Professional Network— a place consumers are using to get basic information about pool. pond and fountain designers and builders before they start making direct phone calls to arrange for site visits and bids. It’s a new way of making initial contacts and getting in the game.
TheNetworkis working just the way we’d hoped: Time toclickaboard?

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