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

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

October 7, 2015 www.watershapes.com

LESSONS LEARNED

Expansive Errors

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

VIDEO GALLERY

Double Play

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

FEATURE ARTICLE

Let’s Do It!

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

ESSENTIAL

Stars on the Wetlands

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

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

TRAVELOGUE

Cooling the Flock

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

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Industrial-Strength Milestones

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

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

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

Mowing the verges is no longer such a messy issue.

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

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

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Life at the High End

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

THE SHOPPING CART

Flexible Hardscape Basins from Atlantic Water Gardens

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

Brilliant Wonders from Custom Molded Products

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

WPN UPDATE

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

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

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

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

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

September 23, 2015 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE

A Lesson in Communication

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

FEATURE ARTICLE

Heat of the Moment

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

TRAVELOGUE

Floating in Style

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

ESSENTIAL

Down to Size

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

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

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Protective Measures

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

WATERSHAPES WORLD

The Way-Back Machine

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

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

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

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

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

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

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

When Fall’s in the Air

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

THE SHOPPING CART

Synchronorm Offers Depence Fountain-Design Software

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

New Variable-Speed Pump from Speck Pumps

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

WPN UPDATE

WPN to Offer Special Introductory Rate

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

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

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

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

September 9, 2015 www.watershapes.com

START-UP DYNAMICS

Happy Plaster

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

CASCADE CREATION

On the Edge

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

FEATURE ARTICLE

Winter’s Work

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

ESSENTIAL

Interior Dynamics

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

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

TRAVELOGUE

At Play in the Fountain of Life

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

WATERSHAPES WORLD

My Digital Confession

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

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

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

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

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

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

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Living in Color

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

THE SHOPPING CART

Bobé Water & Fire Features Offers Perfect Flame

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

Zodiac Launches New Jandy Pro Series Web Site

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

WPN UPDATE

WPN Introduces Home-Page
Photo Features

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

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

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

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

August 19, 2015 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE

Salvaged with Care

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

WHAT IS IT?

#20: Organic Spa

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

TRAVELOGUE

Water Emotion

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

ESSENTIAL

Mid-Range Mastery

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

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

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Protect and Serve

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

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Odds — and Endings

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

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

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

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

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

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

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Wanted: Water Artists

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

THE SHOPPING CART

Safe-Rain Offers the Waterboy Plus Dry-Fountain Kit

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

RicoRock Introduces Structural Grotto/Cave System

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

WPN UPDATE

Welcome All Watershapers!

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

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

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

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

August 5, 2015 www.watershapes.com

DIGITAL DESIGN

Rising Aspiration

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

FEATURE ARTICLE

Iridescent Perfection

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

CASCADE CREATION

Basin Burdens

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

ESSENTIAL

The Graceful Dance

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

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

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Priced Out

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

TRAVELOGUE

Mile-High Gallop

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

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

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

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

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

Who needs manual labor when life can be so good?

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

The Necessity of Restraint

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

THE SHOPPING CART

Lightcraft Publishes 2015 Landscape Lighting Catalog

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

Aquascape Introduces Spillway Bowl Fountains

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

THE AQUATIC QUIZ

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

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

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

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

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

a. Chupacabra Beach

b. Cucaracha Beach

c. Cocomambo Beach

d. Copacabana Beach

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

a. 1,500-meter freestyle	b. 200-meter breaststroke
c. 400-meter freestyle	d. 200-meter butterfly

To find out how many you got right, click here.“

2015/7.2, July 22 — Eastern Aspiration, Start-Up Options, Yellowstone’s Magic and more

From:

WaterShapes <jm@watershapes.com>;

Subject:

Eastern Aspiration, Start-Up Options, Yellowstone’s Magic and more

Reply:

jm@watershapes.com

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

July 22, 2015 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE

Eastern Sensibilities

His clients wanted a home that reflected their refined tastes, writes Randy Beard. The fact that, for a change, others were focused on the challenge of working on a difficult slope freed him to get everything just right with their large spa and understated entryway fountain. [more]

START-UP DYNAMICS

Picking a Path

It’s something too few designers or builders consider as pool and spa projects come to a close. But as Kim Skinner discusses here, the way water is added to a new plaster-, quartz- or pebble-finished pool can make a huge difference in how the watershape will look later on. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Nature’s Studio

A recent trip to Wyoming brought Jim McCloskey face to face with mind-bending forms of natural beauty. But as he relates here, Yellowstone National Park is significantly different from others he’s visited — and a must pilgrimage for inspiration-seeking watershape designers. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Water in Sculpture

The works of sculptor David Curt Morris often combine moving water with simple yet striking shapes in glass or metal. His meticulous compositions speak to observers by juxtaposing the kinetic potential of water against static structures — perhaps something as simple as water flowing over glass surfaces — to exploit what he calls the ‘colors’ of water in motion. It’s a philosophy and a design approach that cuts to the essence of what watershaping is all about.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in June 2005, 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

Radiant History

While on the road in Spain, Paolo Benedetti took a quick side-trip and came across some Roman ruins that caught his technical eye. Here, he discusses what he learned about techniques used in heating swimming pools and large public baths in a remote Roman outpost. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Righting a Hurtful Wrong

A couple months back, an article about restricting access to public pools in Kansas upset Jim McCloskey quite a bit. His frown turned into a smile, however, when a second story, much more humane, crossed his desk and even gave him a chance to get involved. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Popular Culture Dept.: The BBC offers an appreciation of swimming pools’ prominence in film and literature. [more]

It’s great, but also cool that it only scratches the surface.

Concrete, Heal Thyself Dept.: Dutch scientists mix in a bacteria that lets concrete seal its own cracks. [more]

So, maybe a self-filling pothole is next on the list?

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Passion and Practicality

Five years back, Bruce Zaretsky used his column to do some personal reflecting and, along the way, defined the effort it can take to balance two key drivers he identified for his business. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

Waterplay Releases New Splash-Pad Sprays

Waterplay Manufacturing (Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada) has introduced Puddles, a fresh take on traditional ground sprays that brings the fun of jumping in rain puddles to splash areas. Designed with a squishy jump pad, the units are now available in three patterns and encourage users to stomp, dance or hop onto the surface to create water effects. For details, click here.

Hayward Offers 115V Variable-Speed Replacement Pump

Hayward Pool Products (Elizabeth, NJ) has introduced the Super Pump VS 115V, a variable-speed pump designed as an easy drop-in replacement for 115V single-speed pumps. Featuring a permanent-magnet motor, the unit is sized for applications with 1-1/2-inch plumbing and can provide up to 80-percent energy savings over single-speed pumps. For details, click here.

THE AQUATIC QUIZ

What Do a Japanese Zoo’s Elephants
Do After Swimming in Their New Pool?

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

1. The Fuji Safari Park in Japan has built a 65-meter-long, transparent swimming pool
for the zoo’s resident elephants; this allows visitors to observe the huge animals’ underwater movements while they swim laps. According to zoo staff, what activity do the elephants regularly engage in after having swum only three laps a day?

a. They trumpet loudly for at least five minutes.

b. They eat much more than they would otherwise.

c. They shake their bodies vigorously, just like dogs.

d. They immediately lie down and take a nap.

2. The warden of a prison in Lima, Peru, was fired recently because inmates at his facility enjoyed which of the following benefits (in exchange for illegal fees paid to the guards)?

a. Use of a swimming pool	b. Alcoholic beverages at cell-block parties
c. Use of cell phones	d. All of the above

3. The Kazan Arena, a large football (soccer) stadium in Kazan, Russia, is being temporarily outfitted to host the FINA World Aquatics Championships, which will take place from July 24 to August 9, 2015. In addition to a new pair of 50-meter aboveground pools, viewing platforms are being constructed to seat how many spectators?

a. 11,000

b. 21,000

c. 31,000

d. 41,000

To find out how many you got right, click here.“

2015/7.1, July 8 — Illuminating the Classics, Digital Values, Working a Waterfall and more

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

July 8, 2015 www.watershapes.com

FEATURE ARTICLE

Classic French

Working among the 300-year-old fountains in France’s Gardens of Versailles was a bit intimidating, recalls David L’Heureux. But as he writes here, the delicate process of adding modern LED systems to enhance their nighttime appearance was also inspiring beyond measure. [more]

DIGITAL DESIGN

A Path to Enlightenment

While readily acknowledging that digital-design technology has forever changed his working life, Greg Smith also knows that the software is just one of several tools he uses to communicate the value and extent of what he wants to achieve in his clients’ backyards. [more]

CASCADE CREATION

Rocky Road

Sourcing and wrangling with big rocks for large-scale waterfall projects is seldom simple, notes Eric Triplett. As he discusses in this video, however, everything ended up going his way in this case, cascading from the top of the hill all the way down the backyard’s long slope. [more]

ESSENTIAL

A Window into Nature

Microsoft’s corporate campus near Seattle has been the birthplace of much of the world’s most significant consumer-electronics technology. When it came time to adorn the ultramodern facility with a watershape of it own, writes Jon Mitovich, the scope and complexity of the system was intended to reflect the scale and grandeur of the world’s most famous software company — and to fit a circumscribed space as though it had been there from time immemorial.

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

TRAVELOGUE

Olympic Gold

The swimming pools used for the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics are reminders of the city’s role as one of the world’s great sports capitals. But after decades of use, they needed a facelift — and as Ron Bravo reports, the updated watershapes are truly worth a visit. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

A Prime-Time Network

So far, writes Jim McCloskey, the most common questions he’s been asked about the WaterShapes Professional Network have had to do with its origins — the whys and wherefores behind this all-new marketing concept for the watershaping community. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Fair’s Fair Dept.: Dutch firm’s ‘pond dome’ gives curious fish a window onto our much broader world. [more]

Or is the attraction really just the floating food?

Forgive My Obsessions Dept.: Capybaras enjoy a good, long soak in a Japanese zoo’s steaming hot tub. [more]

Unlike my kids, they don’t fight over using the jets.

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

On the Beam

Back in 2005, David Tisherman focused his attention on the value of a certain kind of technical support he said he would never be without — particularly when it came to a popular sort of remodeling project. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

E55BX Mini-Excavator from New Holland Construction

New Holland Construction (Racine, WI) has introduced the E55BX mini-excavator, a short-radius unit that offers greater digging power while maintaining the maneuverability and accessibility of more compact excavators. Designed for fuel efficiency and noise and dust reduction, the machine features deep dig depth and high breakout force. For details, click here.

Glass Accent Tiles from Lightstreams Glass Tile

Lightstreams Glass Tile (Santa Clara, CA) makes Jewel Glass tiles for use in marking the edges of pool steps, swim shelves and spa benches and as highlights or markers on pool floors and waterlines. Thick and substantial, the tiles feature complex internal colors and patterns encapsulated in glass. Bullnose and 90-degree trim pieces are also available. For details, click here.

THE AQUATIC QUIZ

Which U.S. President Swam Naked
In the Potomac River Every Day?

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

1. An early U.S. president was known to swim nude in the Potomac River every morning. During one of these swims, an amusing ‘Encounter of the First Kind’ took place with Anne Royall, America’s first female reporter. The usaswimming.com article includes the following juicy historical tidbit:

One of the most interesting characters in American history, [Royall] had been requesting an interview with the president for months and was tired of being stonewalled. So, early one summer’s morn, she went down to the Potomac and hid in the bushes, waited for the president to strip off his clothes, then revealed herself. She then sat on his clothes, refusing to budge until the president granted her request.

Who was the commander-in-chief-in-the-buff?

a. George Washington	b. Thomas Jefferson
c. James Madison	d. John Quincy Adams

2. Bruiser Bear, an adorable 18-month-old cub at the nonprofit Single Vision animal sanctuary in Melrose, Fla., loves to climb the ladder to an aboveground pool at the facility, jump in, swim around and ‘surf’ on a surfboard in the pool. According to abc11.com, what kind of brown bear is Bruiser?

a. American brown bear	b. Chinese brown bear
c. Syrian brown bear	d. Russian brown bear

3. A former member of a U.S. university’s men’s swimming team has filed a lawsuit against five of his teammates over alleged hazing. The swimmer, reports abcnews.go.com, says ‘he feared for his life because their hazing was so extreme.’ What university was he attending?

a. University of Michigan	b. University of Virginia
c. University of Arizona	d. University of Florida

To find out how many you got right, click here.“

2015/6.2, June 24 — Losing a Deck, Adding a Table, Simplifying Wiring and more

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

June 24, 2015 www.watershapes.com

LESSONS LEARNED

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, advises Scott Cohen, things can go very wrong — and you might be on the hook for a substantial shell-repair bill. [more]

WHAT IS IT?

#19: Built-In Table

Some ideas that look great on paper can become problematic in an actual pool or spa. One such item is an in-pool table of the sort Mike Farley discusses in this video: It’s a case in which everyone needs to sit back and consider all of the factors involved. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Unadulterated Fun

It’s a watershape that Jim McCloskey has long considered as the very first on his list of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. That’s why he was so surprised to discover he’d never urged watershapers to hit the road to visit it before now. [more]

ESSENTIAL

An Elegant Slice

Vera Katz Park was once just an empty sidewalk in Portland’s Pearl District — but that was before landscape designer and sculptor Scott Murase transformed it into a vibrant urban ‘sliver park’ complete with a long watershape and other attractive amenities. The results of his endeavors are chronicled here, with an emphasis on a unique design process and his use of a creative editing approach that perfectly served the needs of this distinctly urban space.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in September 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

Wiring Simplified

Although a well-organized equipment pad is seldom the object of much appreciation, says Paolo Benedetti, it is no less important to a project’s success. That’s why he offers this advice on a key part of pad organization — that is, the management of its wiring connections. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Idea Factories

One of WaterShapes’ most persistent themes has had to do with the value of travel, even if it involves no more than a walk in a local rustic canyon. Fresh off a trip to a pair of amazing national parks, Jim McCloskey‘s own travel advocacy is hitting new heights, as you’ll read here.

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Goes Without Saying Dept.: Universal swim education proposed for Minnesota’s public schools. [more]

Safety benefits alone should lead to a positive vote.

Another Good Idea Dept.: Bio-filtered swimming pool planned for the middle of London’s filthy Thames. [more]

Other riverfront cities worldwide should follow this lead.

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Water Woes

Five years ago, Bruce Zaretsky wrote about water from an unusual perspective, sounding a cautionary note on its capacity to play havoc with watershapers’ and landscape professionals’ best intentions. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

ClearWater Tech Offers Compact Ozone Systems

ClearWater Tech (San Luis Obispo, CA) manufactures the Microzone Series of corona-discharge ozone generators for use in residential pools and spas and ornamental waterfeatures. The wall-mounted, plug-and-play systems come in five models, are easy to install and maintain, require no air preparation and operate with 0-100% ozone output. For details, click here.

MistAmerica’s MA Mist Cooling Systems

MistAmerica (Scottsdale, AZ) manufactures MA Mist, an outdoor, high-pressure cooling system featuring the company’s Ruby nozzle orifices for reliable, long-term performance. Each unit includes a built-in filter to limit clogging and has a check valve to stop drips and whistling. They’re also available with four orifice sizes to customize mist flow. For details, click here.

THE AQUATIC QUIZ

CDC Reveals What Really Causes
Cases of ‘Red Eyes’ in Swimmers

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

1. The Centers for Disease Control recently identified what actually causes eye irritations from swimming (“red eyes”). What, says a report on the study at clickondetroit.com, is the culprit?

a. Chlorine	b. Urine and sweat
c. Chlorine binding to urine and sweat	d. None of the above

2. A family in Coppell, Tex., was dismayed when their backyard swimming pool was completely swallowed. What, according to dfw.cbslocal.com, gobbled up the pool?

a. The creek behind their home overflowed its banks.

b. A huge sinkhole opened up beneath the pool.

c. A tidal wave suddenly came off the Gulf of Mexico.

d. Godzilla swam over from Japan, went on a rampage and ate the pool.

3. When a large python snake slithered into a backyard swimming pool in Australia, how did the three boys in the pool react? [Source: cbsnews.com]

a. They fled the pool, screaming in panic.

b. They tried to feed the snake a frog they’d hung on the end of a stick.

c. They killed the snake and grilled it on the “barbie.”

d. They killed the snake and baked it in the home’s oven (using a new Kraft product called Shake
‘n Bake for Snake).

To find out how many you got right, click here.“

2015/6.1, June 10 — Safety Always, Gorgeous Edges, Sustainability ABCs and more

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

June 10, 2015 www.watershapes.com

DIGITAL DESIGN

Client Tech

In transitioning from hand drawing to digital design, writes Bobby Thomas, it’s essential that you don’t get so caught up in the speed, power, bells and whistles of the technology that you forget why you’re there — that is, to meet the needs of the site and your clients. [more]

CASCADE CREATION

Safety Always

Working with massive boulders on steep slopes can be dangerous, says Eric Triplett, which is why he spends so much time managing his staff and, as this video demonstrates, communicating with them in clear terms about job-site safety — first, last and always. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Doing Our Best, Sustainably

On his job sites, Bruce Zaretsky is always on the lookout for ways he can be a responsible steward of the planet. Thoughtful demolition, recycling, local sourcing, water conservation — they’re now all built into his daily routines as a professional designer and builder. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Gaining an Edge

Among the most critical considerations in watershape design, says Skip Phillips, is establishing the relationship between the water and the structure that surrounds it. In other words, it’s all about edges — edges that vanish, edges on angles, recessed edges and more. And whether his purpose is to accentuate the edge or make it disappear, the effects he strives for at these boundaries are the true hallmark of his recent work.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in June 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

Sea of Tranquility

Tucked into a canyon above the Pacific Ocean, the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine in Los Angeles is an oasis of water, plants and spiritual imagery. For Stephanie Rose, it’s also a favorite place to visit to observe the fine points of plant selection and placement. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Media Mastery

Not all that long ago, writes Jim McCloskey, watershapes were utterly starved for media attention and had to pay plenty to get it. Now, however, pools, spas and ponds are all making significant broadcast splashes, offering a once- marginalized industry direct access to consumers. [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Wish-Fulfillment Dept.: Heavy rains conjure a waterfall fantasy a bit too real for a few gullible Australians. [more]

It’s a photo prank — but a splendid vision just the same.

Can-Do Dept.: Whatever happened to this sense of style when it came to building public swimming pools? [more] Detroit’s pre-war facilities recall a different world.

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Turkey Revisited

Ten years ago this month, David Tisherman wrote passionately about the value of breaking away from day-to-day routines and, as you’ll see by clicking here, seeking out compelling forms of inspiration.

THE SHOPPING CART

Zodiac Pool Systems Releases AquaLink Z4 Controller

Zodiac Pool Systems (Vista, CA) has launched the new Aqualink Z4, a pool/spa control system that brings convenient, easy-to-use automation to up to four circuits and three valve actuators. Easy to install and set up, the units are also iAquaLink compatible, so they can be operated using any smart phone, tablet or web-linked device — or by a wireless remote. For details, click here.

LED040 Underwater Lights from Crystal Fountains

Crystal Fountains (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) manufactures the LED040 mid-sized underwater light for use in fountains and other small watershapes. The compact units are available in warm white, cool white and RGB formats, are made with rugged polycarbonate ABS and stainless steel and have internal temperature controls to prevent overheating. For details, click here.

THE AQUATIC QUIZ

1965 Harvard Swimmers Defeat
2015 Swim Team in Relay Race

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

1. When members of the 1965 Harvard men’s swim team recently returned to the prestigious Ivy League school for a 50th reunion, they were pleased to meet with members of the 2015 swim team. In fact, they challenged the current team to a 200-meter relay race — and although the race ended in a “photo finish,” notes gocrimson.com, the oldsters reportedly were victorious! (After watching the video of the event four times, however, your quizmaster can’t see how anyone arrived at that conclusion.) Of course, the young swimmers graciously gave their senior counterparts a head start. How long was it?

a. 55 seconds

b. 75 seconds

c. 95 seconds

d. 115 seconds

2. Last month, a brazen prankster named Dan Jarvis disrupted the World Diving Series competition in London when he “ripped off his clothes to reveal skimpy Speedos before taking the plunge from a 10-meter board.” The delay in the event, observes huffingtonpost.co.uk, took even longer because Jarvis accidentally dropped something into the pool. What did he drop?

a. His jockstrap

b. His orthodontic retainer

c. His house keys

d. His swim goggles

3. President Jacob Zuma has been found not liable to repay $24 million in public funds used for improvements on a private home he owns. Included in the upgrades were a swimming pool, cattle kraal and chicken run. As nation.com.pk reports, the minister of police — a Zuma appointee — “concluded that the swimming pool was . . . needed to fight any blaze at the mainly thatched compound, while the cattle kraal and chicken run were necessary to prevent the animals tripping motion detectors as they roamed about.” In which country is Jacob Zuma president?

a. Kenya

b. Republic of the Congo

c. Zambia

d. South Africa

To find out how many you got right, click here.“

2015/5.2, May 20 — Faux Stone Miscues, Shotcrete’s Pedigree, Fountain Idealism and more

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

May 20, 2015 www.watershapes.com

LESSONS LEARNED

All Cracked Up

Faux stones made with concrete can be a great alternative to real stone, notes Scott Cohen. But you need to be aware of a key detail in their manufacturing process — a piece of information that will enable you to avoid costly consequences on the job site. [more]

CONCRETE PERCEPTIONS

Beginnings

It seems as though it’s been around forever, but as Lily Samuels and Bill Drakeley report here, pneumatically applied concrete has been with us for little more than 100 years. Kicking off a three-part series on shotcrete, they start with a look at the men behind the technology. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Rising Aspiration

Whenever he gets to Cleveland, Jim McCloskey makes a point of visiting The Fountain of Eternal Life: It’s a poignant war memorial, but it’s also a call for a better world — and one of the most compelling statements about human aspiration he’s ever seen. [more]

ESSENTIAL

Gallery Views

If watershapes and sculptures are both to be included in a garden, the designer faces the challenge of making each component look as though it truly belongs in the setting. Here, Chicago-based landscape artist Rosalind Reed explores what is involved in pulling off this balancing act for a small urban space. The result is a careful interweaving of artistic and aquatic forms that blend serenely in the heart of a bustling city.

This article, originally published in WaterShapes in May 2001, 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

Covering Levels

When it comes to practical design/construction solutions, says Paolo Benedetti, few are as significant as keeping surface waves from flooding automatic pool cover vaults. Here, he defines a simple approach that protects the cover and its mechanisms while saving water, too. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Printed Legacy

Back issues of WaterShapes have been flying off his office shelves in the past few weeks, writes Jim McCloskey, as part of a long-overdue space-clearing sale. It’s made him think fondly of the old days — and leads him to remind you to stock up while there’s still time! [more]

WE BROWSE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . .

Opportunity Knocks Dept.: Police pursue a man seen rinsing his car in a plaza’s dry-deck fountain. [more]

Well, it does look a bit like a drive-through service.

Party Hearty Dept.: A walk down a manufactured Memory Lane courtesy of pool-centric hotel postcards. [more]

Even staged glamour is better than none at all!

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Size Revisited

Back in May 2005, Stephanie Rose discussed a specific type of project that she saw as a true test of a designer’s skill. It’s all about managing fine details, she wrote — and captivating clients with the results. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

Neptune Benson Offers ProStrainer Products

Neptune Benson (Coventry, RI) has acquired the ProStrainer line from ProFlo. These lightweight, low-profile, small-footprint, dual-basket strainers operate with a horizontal laminar flow that eliminates clogging, reduces energy use and limits wear and tear on the pump. Their quick-release lids also ease access to their large-capacity baskets. For details, click here.

Avalon Fountains Releases Product Catalog

Avalon Fountains (Malibu, CA) has published a digital catalog covering its line of nature-inspired fountains and waterfeatures for both residential and commercial settings. The handcrafted, water-emitting trees range in height from 4 to 50 feet, and each is a made-to-order artwork in copper, bronze and glass. Glass-flowered plants are also highlighted. For details, click here.

THE AQUATIC QUIZ

Zoo Project: People Will Swim with
Polar Bears and Live to Tell the Tale

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

1. The zoo in one U.S. city is planning a new water facility that will enable humans and polar bears to swim side by side. According to an article on the proposed project, “At times, bears and people will be wet and in close proximity, divided by a glass wall.” Which city is it?

a. Denver

b. Chicago

c. Miami

d. Houston

2. Seattleite Wayne Kinslow recently achieved an impressive feat by swimming every day in Elliott Bay off the city’s Alki neighborhood, the westernmost part of West Seattle. How many consecutive days, according to westseattleblog.com, did Kinslow swim in the chilly Pacific Northwest waters?

a. 365

b. 500

c. 750

d. 1,000

3. A major Canadian city recently banned swimmers at city pools from swimming with their feet bound together =- a severe blow to one aspiring professional mermaid who had been training that way for more than a year. In response, 24-year-old Krista Visinski launched a petition drive to overturn the ban. What Canadian city is now mermaid-unfriendly?

a. Montreal

b. Toronto

c. Edmonton

d. Vancouver

To find out how many you got right, click here.“