2016/3.1, March 2 — Chemical-Free Savvy, Pond Chores, Longwood Rebirth and more

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

March 2, 2016 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE

Imagination Renewed

In the year to come, the renowned Main Fountain at Longwood Gardens will be undergoing a mass-scale renovation. Robert Nonemaker is tracking the process for us, beginning here with an insider’s report on the grand display’s gradual decline — and imminent rebirth. [more]

SPRING CLEANING

Precious Cargo

Cleaning a pond of any size can be a messy job, says Eric Triplett, especially if the fish and plants are all thriving. As he points out in this video, this tedious chore can also be a risky one if you don’t approach the process (and the fish) with plenty of care and consideration. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Chlorine Conversations

For many years, Paolo Benedetti has been listening carefully to all sides in the chlorine vs. chemical-free water-treatment debate. He’s heard enough now — so much so that he’s ready to weigh in here with what he hopes is some helpful truth-telling on the subject. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Beginnings

The water has to come from somewhere in pond/stream systems — and that, according to master watershaper Anthony Archer Wills, is precisely where many projects run off course, basically because their injection points are too obviously contrived. Here, he argues instead for taking great care in devising (and hiding) water sources to make them seem as though they’ve been shaped from time immemorial by nature’s own subtle hydrology.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in June 2009, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

TRAVELOGUE

Public Interests

In creating his sculptures and watershapes, Ross Miller aims to delight and soothe passersby while rewarding those who seek deeper meanings. As you can see while visiting his projects on a Northeastern tour, his focus is on celebrating local history, culture and heritage. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Simpler Solutions

When Jim McCloskey read a story about a legal dispute over a noisy waterfeature, it occurred to him that if anyone in the courtroom had thought of just one word — a single clarifying term — then all of the bother and much of the expense of the trial might well have been avoided. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

That’s Cool Dept.: A Koi enthusiast invents a new way to keep his prized fish safe — and in plain view. [more]

Can the swimming pool version of this be far behind?

That’s Almost as Cool Dept.: MIT team turns a faucet into the source of an unusual choreographed display. [more]

The idea may seem limited — but there’s great potential!

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Standard Bearers

Back in 2006, David Tisherman wrote about a subject that bugged him more than most — one that led him to make a plea for professionalism and high standards on every project, no matter how modest. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

Color Light Streams from S.R. Smith

S.R. Smith (Canby, OR) manufactures Color Light Streams, a line including laminar jets, star-floor systems and lighted bubblers. The low-voltage, five-watt LED lights are available in six colors: white, blue, green, red, amber and purple. Each system comes with 100 feet of cable and a controller that creates color-changing and disco-style displays. For details, click here.

ClearWater Tech Publishes 30th Anniversary Catalog

ClearWater Tech (San Luis Obispo, CA) offers a digital product catalog covering its full line of cabinet and wall- or skid-mounted ozone-generating systems — including systems for swimming pools, spas and waterfeatures as well as aquariums, zoos and aquaculture applications. The 20-page, full-color booklet also covers peripheral equipment. For details, click here.

WPN UPDATE

Front-Page
Exposure

One of the newest features on the home page of the WaterShapes Professional Network site is a gallery of projects that’s open to use by all WPN members. Along with a brief headline and the watershaper’s name, there’s an image of the project — all linking directly to a page with more images and information. It’s quick, valuable exposure, and that’s what WPN is all about. To see the Project Gallery for yourself, click here and scroll down just a bit.

The Network is growing: Time to climb aboard?

2016/2.2, February 17 — Beach Entries, Fountain Fun, Shotcrete’s Path and more

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

February 17, 2016 www.watershapes.com

CONCRETE PERCEPTIONS

Shotcrete Reborn

When its originators surrendered control of the shotcrete process in the 1950s, the approach fell on hard times. As Lily Samuels and Bill Drakeley discuss here, however, it has since recovered and has resumed its rightful place among the world’s key construction technologies. [more]

WHAT IS IT?

#22: Flagstone Beach Entry

As Mike Farley discusses in his video, this is a sleek, modern, beautiful look that works especially well when a pool is surrounded by stone decking. And beach entries can be trouble-free, too — so long as you consider a key point before adding one to a client’s dreamscape. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Water with a Side of Satire

Even a modest watershape grows in stature when it has a great story — a lesson Jim McCloskey learned in researching a small fountain he’d seen in Rome many years ago. In this case, it seems, the font was an outlet for more than fresh, cool water in days long past. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Beyond Vision

Creating a garden space for the sight-impaired and physically handicapped presented landscape designer Bruce Zaretsky with a meaningful challenge — one that, he says, prompted him to rethink some of the fundamentals of garden layout and aesthetics. The first fruit of his new thinking is this space, in which the serenity and delight of relaxing in a garden space is opened to a wider range of visitors than most designers ever have cause to consider.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in May 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

Cold Joints, Costly Repairs

In pool-remodeling work, observes Scott Cohen, it’s very common to raise a bond beam to meet the needs of a new deck or edge detail — or simply to make the pool ‘level’ again. As ordinary a step as this may seem, however, it can be trickier than you might think.. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Swimming Past Barriers

Swimming is a valuable skill, but there seem to be substantial barriers to gaining it these days. This leads Jim McCloskey to ask: Taken together, are these hurdles high enough that they are defining the future of watershaping in a less-than-favorable way? [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

It Takes a Blizzard Dept.: Heavy snow leads to an upswing in participation in an odd winter sport. [more]

These kids have the finesse, but where’s the technique?

No, Really Dept.: In this surging snowbound event, it’s clear that the frosty Finns have the advantage. [more]

Scroll down to see real ‘professionals’ ply their craft.

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Drains with a Difference

As he discussed in this Details column from early 2001, David Tisherman isn’t about compromise when it comes to making this key part of his projects visually seamless. Check it out by clicking here.

THE SHOPPING CART

Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems Releases 2016 Catalog

Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems (Apopka, FL) has published its 2016 Master Catalog. With more than 300 new items, the 516-page, full-color document is available in both printed and digital formats and covers the divison’s full line of products for ponds, aquaponics and all aquatic systems designed to keep fish and other wildlife safe and healthy. For details, click here.

Diamond Spas Manufactures Glass Walls for Pools, Spas

Diamond Spas (Frederick, CO) makes glass-wall systems for use with swimming pools and spas. Featuring superior-clarity glass that allows for easy two-way viewing, the panels are available in a range of sizes — from small spa dams and underwater windows to large room-dividing units — all compatible with the company’s line of stainless steel watershapes. For details, click here.

WPN UPDATE

Membership
Report 2015

The turn of the year marked the first six months of existence for the WaterShapes Professional Network, which launched and grew steadily to a point where the member count reached 50 by the end of December. It’s a diverse group, with 36 involved with pools and spas, 33 with fountains, 30 with ponds, streams and waterfalls, 26 with landscape, plants and hardscape and 19 working with fire, fog and lighting.

That’s a wide-ranging group of businesses with a full spectrum of skills, as you can see by clicking here. It’s just the sort of founding membership WPN needs to make consumers happy with what they find when their searches lead them to our site.

The Network is growing: Time to climb aboard?

2016/2.1, February 3 — Acrylic-Panel Spa, Elegant Staging, Pond Duties and more

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

February 3, 2016 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE

Elegance Squared

Designing a watershape to complement a dynamic fountain sculpture is mostly about viewpoints, writes Brian Van Bower. But fitting it into the context of a larger and equally vibrant entertainment space? As he discusses here, that calls for thinking theatrically as well. [more]

SPRING CLEANING

Aquatic Chores

Once each year, notes Eric Triplett, it’s a good idea to dig in and clean up an ecosystem pond. That means lowering the water level, removing and storing the fish — and, as this first video in a five-part series demonstrates, tackling a bit of routine equipment maintenance as well. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Transparent Advantages

Finding himself in a new city in the midst of the Great Recession, Tanr Ross was willing to guide these clients through seven distinct designs on his way to an innovative (and successful) eighth approach — a situation made both workable and tolerable by a key design tool. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Graphic Appeal

For more than three decades, industrial designer, educator and inventor Stephen Pevnick has quietly been producing the mind-bending systems he calls ‘Graphical Waterfalls’ — highly specialized watershapes in which letters, words and images are formed with remarkable clarity within fine sheets of falling water. He discusses this mesmerizing effect here and its role in capturing attention and conveying messages in unique and surprising ways.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in August 2007, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.

TRAVELOGUE

Pride of the Yavapai

In a project that brought technology together with a design gleaned from the Sonoran Desert and the cultural heritage of the Yavapai Nation, Bill Gullekson and Chris Doyle were driven to pinnacles of aquatic creativity and design intricacy — all on display for you to see near Phoenix. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Simply Stunning

When Jim McCloskey sees something truly new in the watersahaping realm, he reacts like a kid in a candy store. He definitely has had his sweet tooth tantalized recently by information about two epic watershaping feats — one hidden in California, the other on display in China. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Monkey Business Dept.: These primates certainly know a thing or two about the joys of hot-water living. [more]

They take the concept of ‘relaxation’ up a notch or two.

Symphonic Ambitions Dept.: Composer reroutes a river through a house and uses water as instruments. [more]

The music is great, but the staging? A masterpiece!

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Seeking Perfection

When Mark Holden addressed this subject in his January/February 2011 Currents column, it was one of the day’s hottest topics — and as you’ll see by clicking here, it’s still taking its own sweet time to cool.

THE SHOPPING CART

Bobé Water & Fire Introduces Tiki Torches

Bobé Water & Fire Features (Phoenix, AZ) had added hand-formed copper tiki torches to its line of products. Measuring 80 inches tall, the posts are available with either a smooth or a bamboo appearance and come with torch heads in two styles: one in which flames emit from the top of the torch, the other with an open structure for a livelier flame. For details, click here.

Laticrete Offers SpectraLock ‘Dazzle’ Grout Additives

Laticrete (Bethany, CT) makes SpectraLock Dazzle to bring metallic and glow-in-the-dark enhancements to its SpectraLock line of grouts for pools, spas and other applications. The material, which accentuates the look of metallic tiles, glass tiles, mosaics, stone and listellos with unique visual textures, is available in 13 colors and will not fade or deteriorate. For details, click here.

WPN UPDATE

The Value
of a Network

Through the years, lots of watershapers have invested generously in building beautiful web sites, then wondered why they weren’t translating more directly into contacts and leads. The answer? Building a strong web presence as a stand-alone site is a tough way to go — and that’s precisely why we started the WaterShapes Professional Network.

By building a collective presence in which dozens and, eventually, hundreds of sites participate as an interlinked colossus, we become a group entity the search engines can’t overlook. So if it’s a strong (or stronger) web presence you’re after, click here and have a look.

The Network is growing: Time to climb aboard?

2016/1.2, January 20 — Planting a Watergarden, Working Small, Lessons Learned and more

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

January 20, 2016 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE

Tools of Enchantment

When she designs watergardens for her New England clientele, Maria von Brincken applies a refined set of principles rooted in regional geology, acclimated species and seasonal transitions. In everything, she says, her aim is to beguile onlookers in beautifully subtle ways. [more]

VIDEO GALLERY

Small Space, Big City

Thinking big seems to be what modern watershaping is mostly about, writes Mike Gannon. But if you find yourself in a tight urban space like the one seen in this video, he notes, you need to alter course and think about ponds and waterfalls measured in inches rather than yards. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Rotten Timing

A chance layover in Detroit gave Jim McCloskey the opportunity to visit a famous fountain he’d long wanted to see. But things didn’t quite work out the way he was hoping when he reached the famed waterfront plaza on a miserably cold January day a few years ago. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Modern Movements

Moving water has an uncanny ability to soothe and refresh no matter where you find it, observe watershapers Sheri and Roger Soares II — but, they quickly add, it has a special power in arid, desert environments, where its appearance is both unexpected and reassuring. That’s why their projects almost always include water-in-transit effects, from subtle spillways or runnels to complex vanishing edges or perimeter overflows.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in April 2009, 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

Becoming Wise

“A smart man learns from his own mistakes, a wise man learns from the mistakes of others.” If you internalize that classic proverb, writes Scott Cohen, then you might conclude that watershaping is the occupation of a fair number of smart people and too few wise ones. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

The Big Aquatic Picture

In his ongoing series of commentaries on public pools and watershaping’s future, Jim McCloskey has outlined a long list of social/cultural considerations and concerns — and reports here on support he has found in a book that offers a broad context for his own observations. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Nice Kitty Dept.: A cheetah approaches a pool for a drink, giving this bather a chance to risk life and limb. [more]

The bold and lucky fellow had ‘lunch’ written all over him.

Memory Lane Dept.: A look at competitive swimming in 1916 shows just how far things have come. [more]

From body types to swimsuits , it was a different world.

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Water’s Flip Side

Back in 2011, Bruce Zaretsky dedicated his On the Level column to a key issue in landscape and watershape design and construction that means even more in our era of wild weather — as you’ll see by clicking here.

THE SHOPPING CART

Swimming Pool Windows from Hammerhead International

Hammerhead International (Las Vegas, NV) makes acrylic panels for use in high-end residential and commercial swimming pools. Available in many shapes and sizes, the panels can be made to match everything from the most complicated radiuses of vanishing-edge walls to simple spa panels. The company also offers installation services. For details, click here.

Aquascendo Offers Movable Pool Floor System

Aquascendo (Los Angeles, CA) makes a movable pool floor system that can be raised or lowered to any level. Capable of changing a dry patio surface into a toddler’s wading pool or an exercise pool or a deep-water swimming pool in minutes, the system is intended for commercial or residential applications and works via an elevator-like mechanism. For details, click here.

WPN UPDATE

Ready
for 2016?

As you think about the year to come, there’s one handy contact and referral system you should consider: The WaterShapes Professional Network is here to help consumers find you and have a chance to review your work and mission statement on neutral ground before taking the big step of reaching out to contact you directly. It’s a resource watershapers have needed for years — and you can start getting involved yourself by clicking here.

The Network is growing: It’s time to think about climbing aboard!

2016/1.1, January 6 — Cliff-Top Success, Bicarb Start-Ups, All-Glass Excellence and more

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

January 6, 2016 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE

Cliff-Top Performance

Given all the details that can get in the way of smooth performance, it’s easy to see why it’s tough to take a watershaping act on the road. The key to success at a distance is, of course, planning, but as Barry Justus reports, it also helps to be patient — and lucky. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Bicarb Start-Up ABCs

Working with sodium bicarbonate in starting up a newly finished watershape involves more than turning on a tap, concedes Kim Skinner. But once a barrel is prepared, the method is simplicity itself — and truly kind to new plaster, quartz and pebble surfaces in pools and spas. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Smooth Ambition

Achieving perfection in an all-glass-tile pool/spa project is always a team effort. But in a project as elaborate as this one, notes Jimmy Reed, the nature of the material offers special challenges as he and his expert tile installers work to make the visual magic happen. [more]

ESSENTIAL

The Subtlest Flows

In his work as a landscape artist and custom watershaper, Robert Nonemaker often uses rills — small channels that simply and gracefully move water from one place to another — to bring interesting rhythms and harmonies to his garden spaces. Although these features tend to be less than assertive, he notes, the way water moves through their narrow slots can do wonders when it comes to adding depth and detail to watershape designs.

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

TRAVELOGUE

Radiant History

Traveling in Portugal, Paolo Benedetti happened on Roman ruins that opened his eyes to new design possibilities — and to technologies used to heat ancient indoor swimming pools and public baths. All in all, it might be a great place to stop on your next visit! [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

A Flying Start

To mark the start of a brand New Year for both WaterShapes and the broad readership it serves, Jim McCloskey offers a list of resolutions about technologies and possibilities he’d like to see watershapers (and their suppliers) take immediately to heart. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Snap Your Fingers Dept.: A goal-oriented John Lennon once wrote a song to pay for a swimming pool. [more]

You may recognize its ultra-appropriate title: ‘Help!’

Make It Work Dept.: Michigan brewery traps and harvests pond-generated yeast to make its tasty beverages. [more]

Let’s hope that’s all they’re trapping and harvesting!

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Off the Deep End

Always opinionated, David Tisherman expressed strong ideas in 2006 about the ways pools should be designed and built — especially when it came to one key decision, both for new work and renovations. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

Deck-O-Seal Introduces One-Part Joint Sealant

Deck-O-Seal (Hampshire, IL) produces HS-1 SL, a one-part, self-leveling joint sealant for horizontal expansion joints in swimming pool decks, patios and walkways. Packaged in a 62-ounce pouch, all it takes is screwing on the supplied application tip and squeezing the material into the joint. The foil pouch can then be resealed for later use. For details, click here.

Hayward Launches ColorLogic Light Controller

Hayward Pool Products (Elizabeth, NJ) has announced the release of the ColorLogic Light Controller, an easy-to-install unit designed to control the company’s low-voltage, customizable LED lighting systems. The wall-mounted device has an adjusting dial and a preview window, offering ten fixed colors as well as seven color-changing light shows. For details, click here.

WPN UPDATE

The Next
Big Step

The WaterShapes Professional Network is about to take a giant leap forward: Starting this week, we’ll be contacting all members with procedures for adding the WPN Member Badge to their own web sites’ home pages. Once these linkages are established, the WPN Community will begin to pulse as a true network — and become a high-profile draw for search engines as well as a far better vehicle for making contact with prospective clients.

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

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!