2013/8.2, August 21 — Backyard Fantasyland, Wild Horses, a Stylish Teahouse and more

August 21, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

Driving Home

More than two years in the making, this supersized backyard watershape composition pushed designer/builder Kathy Marosz to the limits of her design skills, construction expertise and mental and physical stamina. Here, in the last of three articles on this extraordinary project, she reflects on what it took to make it all happen and guides us through a pictorial celebration of the project’s numerous (and generally exquisite) finishing details.

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

PONDCRAFT 101

Preparing the Filter

Setting up a waterfall/biofilter unit is generally a simple process, but it’s also an important one, says Eric Triplett, which is why this video goes into so much detail on how to get these units placed and squared away for years of reliable, leak-free performance. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Running Wild

There’s nothing quite like rounding an urban corner and finding a whole herd of wild mustangs running across a stream, writes Jim McCloskey — a fact that makes a pilgrimage to this grand plaza essential for watershapers who want to see great work for themselves. [more]

VIDEO GALLERY

Sanitizing System ABCs

Helping homeowners sort and select among the long, complicated list of possible sanitizing systems for their swimming pools is a critical task, says Lew Akins in this video — especially if your goal is their long-term satisfaction with the overall project. [more]

PLATINUM REFLECTIONS

Garden Tea

With patience and understanding, says Rick Driemeyer, great watershapes and gardens will emerge from the close interaction of designers and their clients. A case in point is the project shared here, where he transformed a simple space into a highly personalized sanctuary. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Pivot Points

As a busy summer comes to a close, Jim McCloskey takes the occasion to look back on events (both personal and professional) that have kept him jumping since the end of April — and have made him distinctly hopeful about the future and what’s in store in days to come. [more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

While supplies last, you can purchase one of 9 remaining complete, mint-condition, 131-issue sets of WaterShapes, a print publication that set the tone for development of the art and craft of watershaping from February 1999 until July 2011. For ordering information, click here!

As Water Takes Center Stage . . .

Are We in a New Golden Age

Of Aquatic Entertainment?

[more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Neat and Clean

Always a stickler for details, Brian Van Bower used his Aqua Culture column ten years ago to define what he considered to be a crucial and very public measure of a watershaper’s professionalism. [more]

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Woman Breastfeeding in U.K.

Public Pool Ordered to Stop

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

1. After a lifeguard spotted a woman breastfeeding her 4-month-old son in a shallow toddler pool in the U.K., she was ordered to stop or be evicted from the aquatics center — an incident that sparked a vigorous public discussion of the issue. In what British city did this take place?

a. London b. Manchester c. Liverpool d. Leeds.

2. Scientists have reported that a chimpanzee and an orangutan raised by separate humans have learned to swim and dive – behaviors previously thought to be beyond the capability of lower primates. Surprisingly, the animals don’t perform the dog-paddle when swimming. What movement do they use instead?

a. Crawl b. Backstroke c. Frog kick d. Scissor kick.

3. An Australian study has found that 17% of girls between the ages of 10 and 17 do not go swimming because of what reason?

          a. They’re afraid of drowning.
          b. They worry about the effect of chlorine on their hair.
          c. They don’t want to take time away from playing video games.
          d. They think their bodies aren’t good enough to be seen in a swimsuit.

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

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2013/8.1, August 7 — Jade Mountain’s Amazing Pools, a Video Guide to Pondcraft, Chinese Gardens and more

       August 7, 2013                www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

Cutting Edges

The pools at St. Lucia’s Jade Mountain are certainly among the most ambitious watershape compositions ever attempted. In all, the mountainside project encompasses 26 interwoven vanishing-edge vessels suspended on the side of an ultra-modern concrete structure, each one with its own shape and aesthetic scheme. As Skip Phillips explains here, it was a steep challenge — one exacerbated by a remote locale and a constantly evolving design program.

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

PONDCRAFT 101

Pond Beginnings

Building a fish pond from a kit is a big job — one that requires you to know what you’re getting into. Offering some much-needed guidance along those lines, Eric Triplett jumps right in with an extensive video series that starts with the basics of pond design and layout. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

How Big Is That Pool?

Lots of people know how to calculate the volume of a rectangular swimming pool, but what do you do with an irregular shape? Here, Kim Skinner, Que Hales and Doug Latta describe a method for calculating those pools’ volumes that’s both precise — and a bit surprising. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Sound and Motion

Working with Internet technology has been eye-opening, writes Jim McCloskey. In fact, as much as he loves the printed word, he’s found that the web offers so many advantages that he wonders why he stayed with WaterShapes on ink and paper for so long. [more]

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Balanced Force

The mathematics that define the interactions of plumbing size, water flow, pressure and head can be complex. But for watershapers, writes Steve Gutai, understanding those relationships and working with them in the field is truly essential in developing one key project phase. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Finding China

The features, traditions and characteristics of Chinese garden design are generally unfamiliar to most Westerners — and that’s a shame, observes Rick Anderson, who discovered in extensive travels through that country that they comprise an amazing art form all their own. [more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

While supplies last, you can purchase one of 11 available complete, mint-condition, 131-issue sets of WaterShapes, a print publication that set the tone for development of the art and craft of watershaping from February 1999 until July 2011. For ordering information, click here!

Booze May Have Been Involved!

German Cops Stop Convertible

Converted into Swimming Pool

[more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Stone Stepping

In designing spaces for his clients, wrote Bruce Zaretsky in August 2008, he thinks about the way people will move around in them with particular care when it comes to what he sees as an often-overlooked feature. [more]

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Barcelona: U.S. Men’s Relay Team
Disqualified After Winning Race

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

1. At the 15th FINA World Championships in Barcelona, the American men’s relay team won the 4×100 race, only to be disqualified when it was determined that one of the U.S. swimmers dove into the pool one-hundredth of a second too soon. Which team member jumped the gun?

a. Ryan Lochte b. Nathan Adrian c. Kevin Cordes d. Matt Grevers

2. FINA (the governing body of the sport of swimming) has approved two mixed-gender relay events for future world championships: the 4×100-meter freestyle and the 4×100 medley. The mixed teams will consist of two men and two women; the order of the swimmers will be up to the teams themselves. FINA’s decision applies to the Olympic Games — true or false?

a. True b. False

3. The location of the 2016 European Swimming Championships — which will be held before the start of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro — has been announced. Where will the European Swimming Championships take place?

a. Amsterdam b. Paris c. London d. Madrid

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

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2013/7.2, July 24 — Saving a Great Lake, Defining a Modern Classic, Understanding Pond Maintenance and more

July 24, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

Welcoming Waters

The restoration of the private lake pictured in this article offered watershaper George Forni a set of challenges that ranged from completely recasting the lake’s structure, filtration and circulation system to devising a variety of design features aimed at bringing both fine aesthetics and ample family fun to the setting. The result, he says, is a project that was unusually comprehensive in scope and unfailingly remarkable in execution.

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

FEATURE ARTICLE

Working the Nitrogen Cycle

Managing a pond or watergarden involves a list of familiar chores. All it takes to help those who perform these tasks understand why their work is necessary and what it accomplishes, writes Ed Beaulieu, is a dash of information on the dynamics of the nitrogen cycle. [more]

WHAT IS IT?

#6: ‘Hidden’ Skimmer

Sometimes, preserving the aesthetics of a design calls for uncommon approaches to common features. That’s in evidence in this brief video, which shows how preserving the look of a pool’s sleek, stylish coping led Mike Farley to put a fresh twist on a standard detail. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Conflicted Interests

A program encouraging an Australian township’s homeowners to convert their swimming pools into ponds grabbed Jim McCloskey‘s attention recently — and inspired this brief discussion of the practicalities (and realities?) involved in these transformations. [more]

PLATINUM REFLECTIONS

Softly Modern

This project walked a narrow line between the modernist tastes of the homeowners and the property’s traditional surroundings. But walking that tightrope was easy, notes Kevin Fleming, compared to executing the installation’s fine details, highlighted here in words and images. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Temperate Thoughts

Our nation’s capital boasts many beautiful fountains, writes Jim McCloskey — but there are some quirky exceptions, including an odd composition that embodies one of the great social controversies of the late 19th Century and has a strangely fascinating history as well. [more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

While supplies last, you can purchase one of 12 available complete, mint-condition, 131-issue sets of WaterShapes, a print publication that set the tone for development of the art and craft of watershaping from February 1999 until July 2011. For ordering information, click here!

Simian Exercise Regimen . . .

Indian Monkey Swims Daily
Laps in Mumbai Public Pool

[more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Keeping Control

Concerns about intellectual property were rare among watershapers until fairly recently, wrote Brian Van Bower five years ago. But in the Internet era, it’s truly a big deal — and a fitting subject of this classic column. [more]

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Floating Pool for New York River

One Step Closer to Being Built

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

1. The plan to install a large, plus-shaped floating pool in New York City’s East River has come one step closer to fruition after more than $273,000 was raised by the crowd-funding Web site Kickstarter. The money will be used to install a 35-by-35-foot mini version of the proposed pool (no swimming allowed) as a scientific test bed to further study the concept. How much is the full-sized swimming pool — which will be called the + Pool and will be 164 feet by 164 feet — expected to cost?

a. $10 million b. $15 million c. $20 million d. $25 million

2. A major U.S. city opened its river — at least temporarily and in a small, roped-off area — to public swimming for the first time in 50 years. The event was made possible by the river’s improving water quality. What river and what city?

a. The Hudson River in New York City b. The Chicago River in Chicago
c. The Charles River in Boston d. The Mississippi River in New Orleans

3. Turkish authorities shut down the Bosphorus Strait — which divides the European side of Istanbul from the Asian side — for three hours for the annual Bosphorous Cross-Continental swim. (The strait is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.) Some 1,500 swimmers from nearly 50 countries took part in this year’s event. What is the length of the crossing?

a. 4 miles b. 6 miles c. 8 miles d. 10 miles

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

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2013/7.1, July 10 — A Hilltop Masterpiece, Avoiding Design Mistakes, Going Pondless and more

July 10, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

Builder’s Pride

Conceived of as part of the home’s original design and construction, this stunning rectangular pool provided the watershaping team of William Bennett and Walter Williams with the opportunity to work closely with an architect at the top of his game. The resulting composition in concrete, glass, wood and water — set on a steep slope in a densely wooded area — made all participants rise to the occasion with practical, cost-sensitive solutions.

This article, originally published 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.

VIDEO GALLERY

Nature Enhanced

Making pondless waterfall systems work aesthetically can be a challenge, writes Mike Gannon, but by focusing on the setting and finding ways to weave the new system into its surroundings, you can create aquatic environments that truly fit in, naturally and beautifully. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Avoiding Common Design Mistakes

Through the years, Paolo Benedetti has encountered lots of designs marred by mistakes, some merely distracting, others downright deplorable. Here’s a quick look at his pet peeves, along with tips on how to avoid them while making homeowners happy at the same time. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

The Weirdest Idea Ever?

A news item about a storied college-football program caught Jim McCloskey‘s eye a few days back — as did reports on several great watershapes he’s written about in recent months. Oh, and then there are a few choice holiday snapshots taken in Yosemite and beyond . . . [more]

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Equating Continuity

As watershapes have become more complex, the need for reliable hydraulic designs that maximize efficiency is more pressing than it’s ever been, says Steve Gutai. To help meet this challenge, he offers this look at the principles behind a pool’s fluid mechanics and hydraulics. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

An Edge of Honor

It unfolds as a serene, inspiring space and a solemn, symbolic tribute to self-sacrifice and the anguish of war: The Massachusetts Vietnam Veterans Memorial was a decades-long labor of love, write Johannes Wagner and Eugene Bolinger — one well worth a visit. [more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

While supplies last, you can purchase one of 13 available complete, mint-condition, 131-issue sets of WaterShapes, a print publication that set the tone for development of the art and craft of watershaping from February 1999 until July 2011. For ordering information, click here!

She Wore a Full Hijab, But . . .

Female Iranian’s Record

Swim Goes Unrecognized

[more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

The Illuminating Past

Knowing what’s been done before, asserted Mark Holden in 2008, is the core of design education. So why, he asked, are colleges and universities so blind when it comes to a huge part of our design heritage? [more]

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

The Rolling Stones’ Brian Jones:
Accidental Drowning or Murder?

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

1. Renewed allegations have surfaced that musician Brian Jones, who formed and named the legendary rock band The Rolling Stones, did not die in 1969 due to an accidental drowning in his backyard pool but was murdered instead. He supposedly was killed over what issue?

          a. Who would be the band’s lead singer?
          b. Who would choose the music the band performed?
          c. Who owned the name of the band?
          d. Who would be the band’s manager?

2. A YouTube video of a toddler swimming across a pool has gone viral, with more than one-million views. It has also raised some controversy regarding the advisability of such a young child learning how to swim. How old is little Elizabeth, the now-famous baby swimmer?

a. 14 months b. 16 months c. 18 months d. 20 months

3. Two different homeowners in New Castle, Ind., were startled to discover that someone had dumped live fish into their backyard pools, possibly as a prank.
What kind of fish did they find swimming around?

a. Catfish b. Grouper c. Carp d. Trout

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

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2013/6.2, June 19 — New York’s Finest, Locally Inspired Ponds, Pool-Lighting Strategies and more

June 19, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

The Heart of the City

The plaza island at Columbus Circle in New York is an example of urban and civic design at its best. Encircling the heart of this grand space is a subtle fountain system that has turned a busy traffic hub into a welcome gathering place for the city’s residents and visitors. Here, principal designer Claire Kahn Tuttle of WET Design in Sun Valley, Calif., describes the project and the philosophy the company brought to bear in bringing it to fruition.

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

VIDEO GALLERY

A Pool-Lighting Primer

Giving clients the information they need to participate intelligently in project discussions is too important to leave to chance, says Lew Akins. That’s why he offers them brief video guides to what’s coming — including this one on lighting pools and their surroundings. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Sliding into Backyard Waterparks, 2

Modular slides offer watershapers a great deal of flexibility, notes Kathryn Varden — and come with relatively simple sets of installation procedures that can help designers and builders work with homeowners to make shared visions of ‘backyard waterparks’ a reality. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

A Pain in the Neck

A recent round of unusually severe back pain led Jim McCloskey to take to his spa for some hydrotherapy. It also gives him the opportunity to vent publicly here about a particular feature of his own watershape that has been driving him ’round the bend for nearly 25 years. [more]

PLATINUM REFLECTIONS

Southern Accents

Specializing in naturalistic watershapes clearly requires an appreciation of nature, says Robert Vaughn. Making these bodies of water look at home in an area where your work is surrounded by the real thing, however, also calls for a sharply refined set of design and installation skills. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Upside-Down, Anyone?

On a campus brimming with high-toned visual attractions, the most unusual of all at UCLA is the Inverted Fountain. It’s been the butt of occasional jokes and pranks, notes Jim McCloskey, but it’s a great design solution just the same — and one worthy of a pilgrimage. [more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

While supplies last, you can purchase one of 15 available complete, mint-condition, 131-issue sets of WaterShapes, a print publication that set the tone for development of the art and craft of watershaping from February 1999 until July 2011. For ordering information, click here!

New Toy for the Filthy Rich!

Super Submarine Yacht

Boasts a Swimming Pool

[more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Communicate and Coordinate

Brian Van Bower wrote frequently in WaterShapes about topics near and dear to his heart — one of which was the subject of a column ten years ago this month. To see what got him going, then and probably now, click here.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

What was Swimming Movie Star

Esther Williams’ MGM Nickname?

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

1. Legendary swimming movie star Esther Williams — who passed away recently at the age of 91 — had an aquatic-related nickname during her career at MGM Studios. The nickname was also the title of one of her most famous movies. What was it?

a. The Water Ballerina b. Million Dollar Mermaid
c. Neptune’s Daughter d. Bathing Beauty

2. Like Diana Nyad before her, Australian endurance swimmer Chloe McCardel was forced to abandon her attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida due to excruciating pain from being stung by a jellyfish. How far did she get before she had to be pulled from the water?

a. 20 km (about 12 mi) b. 40 km (about 24 mi)
c. 60 km (about 37 mi) d. 80 km (about 49 mi)

3. The demolition of a community swimming pool has become a contentious political issue in the mayoral race of which Ohio city?

a. Cleveland b. Cincinnati c. Columbus d. Toledo

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

</ mySpace

2013/6.1, June 5 — Angular Vanishing Edges, Ponds for Schools, Backyard Waterparks and more

June 5, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

Transit Cubed

Inspired by the work of great architects, watershaper Paolo Benedetti has created a masterpiece of his own in the form of a pool/spa composition that now graces a spectacular setting in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California. Using multiple water levels, reflective surfaces and water-in-transit effects, the design delivers straight-ahead contemporary aesthetics while encompassing a sublimely complicated set of geometric and hydraulic relationships.

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

VIDEO GALLERY

Special Ponds, Special Purpose

Wanting to give back to their local communities, Eric Triplett and his staff participate in ‘Ponds for Schools,’ a program that (as seen in this video) gets a school’s students actively involved in building ponds, streams and waterfalls that become outdoor classrooms. [more]

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Backwashing Basics

Backwash valves, says Steve Gutai, are the unsung heroes of many hydraulic systems. Seldom considered unless in use, these handy devices can, if properly selected and installed, simplify filter maintenance, extend filter cycles and even stretch a filter’s service life. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Sliding into Backyard Waterparks

One way to get the kids off the couch, writes Kathryn Varden, is to set up a ‘backyard waterpark’ as a focus for active play. To make it happen, homeowners will likely need to weigh options when it comes to slides, prompting her to offer this guide to getting in on the fun. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Into the Wild

Getting out on the road early in the summer is always nice, but when the destinations include Yosemite and California’s High Sierras, writes Jim McCloskey, the opportunities for observing wild water in action are simply not to be rivalled. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Down to the River

Inspired by the hugely popular San Antonio Riverwalk, the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo (HARP) is a definite must-see: As described here by Donald Brandes Jr., the project upgraded an old town’s rusty image and demonstrates the transforming power of water. [more]

CDC Answers the Question . . .

Are U.S. Public Swimming
Pools Full of . . . Uhh . . . Poop?

[more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

To make accessing its information even easier, we’ve just revamped the Products section of our Homepage menu, dividing the growing collection of entries among a flexible range of categories. To see how things are now arrayed in, for example, the new Pool/Spa category, click here.

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Maximizing Exposures

David Tisherman has always taken photographs to record the processes with which his watershapes are built. If you’ve ever wondered why he’s so passionate about doing so, check out this text from 2003. [more]

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

New Attempt to Swim from Cuba

to Florida Without a Shark Cage

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

1. Chloe McCardel, a 27-year-old endurance swimmer, is planning to swim from Cuba to the Florida Keys without a shark cage — a feat veteran swimmer Diana Nyad has unsuccessfully attempted four times. What country is McCardel from?

a. New Zealand b. UK c. Canada d. Australia

2. Media reports suggest that the International Swimming Hall of Fame, which has been located in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., since 1965, may move in 2015. If it does, what city is considered the most likely candidate for its new home?

a. Tempe, Ariz. b. Santa Clara, Calif. c. Myrtle Beach, S.C. d. Duluth, Minn.

3. Rick Curl, a former swimming coach in the Washington, D.C. area, was sentenced to prison for sexually abusing one of his female students over a five-year period. The abuse began in the 1980s when the student was just 13 years old. What was the sentence Curl received?

a. 3 years b. 5 years c. 7 years d. 9 years

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

</ mySpace

2013/5.2, May 22 — Cantilevered Beauty, Dispelling a Water-Treatment Myth, Chicago’s Signature Fountain and more

May 22, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

Transparent Ambition

Ben Dozier takes pride in his company’s ability to work with all the details of complex and unusual design programs. A case in point is the project described here, in which he and the team at Root Design Company joined forces with an architect, various engineers, subcontractors and suppliers, plus a self-identified ‘eccentric’ client, to bring an acrylic-paneled, cantilevered lap pool to fruition high up on a slope overlooking a lake.

This article, originally published 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.

FEATURE ARTICLE

Exploring the ‘Acid Column’

Pool service professionals and pool owners who believe that the way acid is added to a pool can differentially affect pH and alkalinity are simply wrong, observes Kim Skinner — and here’s a detailed look at the science and a simple demonstration that backs him up. [more]

VIDEO GALLERY

How Deep?

Long a believer in using videos as teaching tools with his clients, Lew Akins has explored lots of details and concepts prospective pool owners should consider — including, in this case, the functional factors involved in determining the depth of a swimming pool. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

A Little Respect

Sharing an unusually sharp sense of joy and wonder, Jim McCloskey comments in his latest blog on two major events — one on the personal side, the other on the professional — that have put a spring in his step and made him distinctly hopeful about the future. [more]

PLATINUM REFLECTIONS

Poetry in Stone

Working with water and stone, Richard Hansen explores what he calls ‘poetic dialogues’ between nature and humanity, permanence and ephemera, distance and intimacy. But beyond that, he’s a hands-on artisan who enjoys the sound that stone makes when it splits. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Big-Shouldered Fountain

Commissioned in 1927, Chicago’s Buckingham Fountain is a national treasure in pink Georgia marble, says Jim McCloskey. It’s a Versailles-inspired must-see for anyone interested in historic watershapes and epic water-and-light shows on warm summer evenings. [more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

For those who enjoy browsing through the archives of WaterShapes‘ print editions, we’ve just made finding things easier by updating and completing the Author and Topic Indexes to include all 131 of the issues published from 1999-2011. Click here to check it out!

For stress relief and more . . .

Kate Middleton Swims Her

Way Toward the Royal Birth

[more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

We Can Do Better

Back in May 2003, Brian Van Bower went off on a behavior that particularly bothered him in some of his industry colleagues — and pointed out that there were (and still are!) simple ways to get things right. [more]

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Right-Wing French Politician

Injured in Freak Pool Accident

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

1. Right-wing French politician Marine Le Pen, head of the Front National party, was injured in a freak swimming pool accident. What happened?

          a. She slipped on a wet pool deck and broke her right leg.
          b. A diving board above her head snapped and gave her a concussion.
          c. She fell into an empty swimming pool and fractured her sacrum.
          d. She received a strong electric shock when a TV tipped over into the pool.

2. In a wonderful collection of photographs of oddball, vintage inventions on the British Web site dailymail.co.uk, there is one image of women wearing wooden swimsuits that supposedly made it easier for them to stay afloat. In what country did wooden swimsuits enjoy 15 minutes of wet fame back in 1929?

a. USA b. Holland c. Belgium d. Italy

3. An obsessed fan unsuccessfully attempted to swim in the Atlantic Ocean to the Rhode Island beachfront property of a certain country music singing star. The 22-year-old man was arrested by police for trespassing. Which singing star was it?

a. Carrie Underwood b. Kellie Pickler c. Sara Evans d. Taylor Swift

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

</ mySpace

2013/5.1, May 8 — Theatrical Aquatics, the ABCs of Waterfall Installation, Maya Lin’s Watershapes and more

May 8, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

Awakening a Dream

Certainly one of the world’s most unusual watershaping achievements, ‘Le Reve’ is a Las Vegas-style aquatic production that carries audiences into an amazing dream world of water, light, music and incredible acrobatic skill. To achieve the water effects, former Cirque du Soleil producer Franco Dragone turned to Aviram Müller and Canada’s Kaarajal Design Aquatique — and the result is a marriage of watershaping art and technology unlike any other.

This article, originally published in January 2009, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to move to the article, where you’ll be able to focus on the images and study the craftsmanship in detail.

VIDEO GALLERY

Rocking Good Times

Setting up a naturalistic pond’s waterfall is painstaking work, says Eric Triplett — especially if you’re focused on creating convincing results. In this pair of videos, he shares and discusses his own approach to what he describes as a thoroughly improvised dance. [more]

TRAVELOGUE

Timeless Impressions

Most people know Maya Lin for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, but watershapers should get out and see more of her work, notes William Hobbs, whose company has long helped produce water effects for the famous artist as she explores the mysteries of time and nature. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Giant Steps

In his latest blog, Jim McCloskey announces two great features now offered at WaterShapes.com — one that will make the site much easier to navigate, the other completely altering the way we work with the images that accompany our feature articles. Very cool stuff. [more]

PONDCRAFT

Ponds on the Level, Part 3

There are several fine options when it comes to auto-fill systems for pond applications, writes Hollye G. Merton in the third and concluding part of her series on this technology. Here’s a look at how you compare them and make the right choice for the pond at hand. [more]

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Valve Values

Valves are so familiar a part of watershapes that it’s easy to take them for granted. But that’s unwise, notes Steve Gutai, who knows that the efficiency and serviceability of many installations would be improved if designers and builders took fuller advantage of their valve options. [more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

We’ve just revolutionized the way you’ll look at articles on WaterShapes.com, taking advantage of web technology to make it possible for you to enlarge most images to nearly full-screen size with the aid of your cursor. To see what we mean, click here — then click again on any photo!

After Their Fishing Boat Sank . . .

Two American Tourists Forced to
Swim 12 to 14 Hours to Survive

[more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Considering Small Spaces

While every landscape professional hopes for big projects, clients’ yards are often small — a fact, Stephanie Rose noted in her May 2003 column, that calls on professionals to step up in all sorts of specific ways. [more]

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Security Breach: Goldfish Found

Swimming at U.S. Nuclear Reactor

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

1. Operators of a U.S. nuclear power plant were dismayed to discover a pair of goldfish swimming in an underground steam tunnel at the facility’s reactor – not considered a good sign for security at the installation, since the goldfish probably did not get there on their own. Where is the plant?

a. Avila Beach, Calif. b. Wintersburg, Ariz. c. Marseilles, Ill. d. Perry, Ohio

2. A public swimming pool in Blue Earth, Minn., is employing a high-tech method to identify people who are eligible to use the facility. What is the method?

a. Eye scan b. Finger scan c. Voice analysis d. Hair analysis.

3. The website freemalaysiatoday.com has identified what it considers to be “The best five pools of the globe” – all of which are at hotels. The first four are in Switzerland, Singapore, China and France. Where is the fifth?

a. Thailand b. UK c. USA d. Singapore.

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

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2013/4.2, April 24 — Playboy Mansion Watershapes, Buying a Pool, the Bartholdi Fountain and more

April 24, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

The Birth of a Dream

For more than 30 years, the watershapes and grotto at Playboy Mansion West have generated a mystique uniquely their own. Designed by Suzanne and Ron Dirsmith and installed along with the rest of the home’s interior and exterior environments, this amalgamation of stone, water and plants ushered in the era of naturalistic pools and has utterly fascinated generations of homeowners seeking their own slices of the good life.

This article, originally published in October 2005, has been digitized for all readers. Once you click ‘more’ on the next screen, you can zoom in on images to study the craftsmanship in detail. [click here to continue]

FEATURE ARTICLE

A Pool Buyer’s Guide, Part 2

In buying a pool, a homeowner needs to find ways to make valid comparisons and informed choices about the design as well as the contractor who will build it. Here, Paolo Benedetti offers a look inside this intricate process — and some tips on making it go smoothly. [more]

WHAT IS IT?

#5: Flush Spa

For some time now, most pool/spa combinations have featured raised spillways that link them together. But that’s not exclusively the case, notes Mike Farley — which leads him to offer this brief video explanation of the advantages of achieving the ‘flush spa’ alternative. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Pushing Boundaries

So far, says Jim McCloskey, building WaterShapes.com has mostly been a lot of hard, detailed work. But now it’s starting to get fun, he observes, with a list of new features he describes here about to swing into place to make the site even easier to use and share. [more]

PLATINUM REFLECTIONS

Liquid Mettle

For years, California artist Rafe Affleck has combined rigid stainless steel with flowing water to create a substantial and distinctive body of work. His sculptures, in which liquid does more than merely accent metal, make bold statements that puzzle, delight, sooth and inspire. [more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

Now it’s simpler than ever to share articles you find on

WaterShapes.com with friends, colleagues and clients: All landing pages now include links to a huge selection of social networks, so you can move things along with a few quick keystrokes. Click here to see how easy it is!

He Spied with Mirrored Swim Goggles!

British Freestyle Record Setter
Guilty of Pool Peeping Tomism

[more]

TRAVELOGUE

Exotically American

Any visit to Washington, D.C., should include at least a little sightseeing, notes Jim McCloskey. While you’re out and about, he suggests stepping just beyond the Capitol Mall to take in the gardens of Bartholdi Park and bask in the glow of its wondrously evocative fountain. [more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Devils in the Details

Ten years ago, Brian Van Bower wrote about the sorry state of the art with respect to pool plans. Things were definitely in a state of flux back then — so where are we now? Click here to see — and register your opinions.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Fully Clothed Billionaire Stands

In Pool During TV Commercial

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

1. A new television commercial includes a fully clothed billionaire standing in a fully filled swimming pool as he speaks to his employees. Who is the billionaire?

a. Mark Cuban b. Sheldon Adelson c. Larry Ellison d. Mark Zuckerberg

2. When a New Jersey homeowner removed the cover from his inground pool, he was shocked to find a school of tiny fish, possibly minnows, living in the water. Despite the cover, the fish apparently made their way into the pool from floodwaters caused by a major hurricane last October. What was the name of the massive storm?

a. Selma b. Sandy c. Suzie d. Sophie

3. A homeowner in Austria was left with more than $75,000 in damages when his backyard pool caught on fire. Firefighters had to use special foam to extinguish the blaze, which destroyed the pool cover and wooden beams in the structure. What caused the fire?

a. A meteorite that fell to earth b. Chlorine gas that exploded
c. Pool lights that overheated d. A burning car that plunged into the water

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

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2013/4.1, April 10 — Chicago’s Crown Fountain, Timely Pond Chores, Honors for Halprin and more

April 10, 2013 www.watershapes.com

ESSENTIAL

A Crowning Achievement

The Crown Fountain in Chicago’s Millennium Park is an ingenious fusion of artistic vision and high-tech water effects in which sculptor Juame Plensa’ s creative concepts were brought to life by an interdisciplinary team that included the waterfeature designers at Crystal Fountains. Here, Larry O’Hearn describes how the firm met the challenge and helped give Chicago’s residents a defining landmark in glass, light, water and bright faces.

This article, originally published in April 2005, has been digitized for all readers. Once you click ‘more’ on the next screen, you can zoom in on images to study the craftsmanship in detail. [click here to continue]

VIDEO GALLERY

Pond Chores

When a backyard boasts a pond, says Mike Gannon, it comes with certain responsibilities — including the need to roll up your sleeves each spring and jump in as deep as may be required to clear away the muck and prepare the watershape for a healthy, productive year. [more]

TECHNICAL BRIEFING

Jet Setting

Whether a spa is concrete or portable, sound hydraulics are required if the jets are to give clients the massaging action they crave. But watershapers who work in concrete are at a disadvantage, observes Steve Gutai, and must step up if their spas are to compare favorably. [more]

PONDCRAFT

Ponds on the Level, Part 2

Keeping water at the right level is important in any pond. Here, in the second of three articles on getting this key job done automatically, Hollye G. Merton compares available technologies and sizes up their value in maintaining healthy watergardens. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

Suitable Tributes

A bulletin about Lawrence Halprin’s four Portland, Ore., fountains being added to the National Register of Historic places leads Jim McCloskey to suggest that other significant watershapes might benefit from campaigns aimed at achieving this sort of recognition. [more]

WHAT’S NEW?

Now at WaterShapes.com . . .

We often get inquiries about purchasing back issues of WaterShapes, so to simplify the process, we’ve just updated the WaterShapes Store to list all of the editions still in stock. If you have gaps in your collections, supplies are very limited: Click here to see what’s still available!

Shocking April 1 Report!

Penn. High Schools Schedule
Swim Meet in Fracking Liquid

[more]

TRAVELOGUE

A Recipe for Jambalaya

Once the site of a sewage plant, Jambalaya Park in Gonzalez, La., testifies to just how ambitious a renovation project can be. As Les Ewen reports, the first attempt at installing a fountain and Koi pond failed, at which point he and his staff put the city’s plans back on track. [more]

WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Identifying the Issue

Back in April 2008, water architect/university instructor Mark Holden noted that watershapes are underrepresented on the curriculum for future landscape architects. Click here to see why that’s a problem.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Prominent Television Journalist

Swims with African Crocodiles

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

1. What nationally known television journalist recently went scuba diving with deadly Nile crocodiles in the African nation of Botswana — an extremely dangerous exploit captured on video for the CBS news program “60 Minutes”?

a. Bob Simon b. Lesley Stahl c. Anderson Cooper d. Scott Pelley.

2. Boxer Boban Simic follows an unusual regimen: He swims in the ice-cold water of one of the Great Lakes during the winter months, while wearing only a Speedo and swim cap. His winter swimming sessions have spurred a number of 911 calls from concerned citizens, and the emergency personnel who’ve shown up to “rescue him” have not been amused. Which Great Lake is Simic’s icy swimming venue?

a. Lake Michigan b. Lake Ontario c. Lake Erie d. Lake Huron.

3. Barbra Peck of Forest Grove, Ore. — whose love of being in the water dates back many decades — has continued swimming and performing water exercises at quite an advanced age. How old is she?

a. 98 b. 100 c. 102 d. 104.

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