design
We may be well into our ninth year of publication, but I'm still amazed and often amused by the ways that some people choose to describe WaterShapes. I've heard some armchair critics, for instance, dismiss us "a pool magazine that covers ponds," "a pond magazine that covers pools" or "a fountain magazine with
Through the past 20 years or so, the vanishing-edge look has become perhaps the most recognizable hallmark of high-end, custom swimming pools. In that time, these vessels have gone from relatively rare to remarkably common. These days, in fact, it's a rare builder who doesn't have at least a handful of these projects in his or her portfolio. Unfortunately, this growth in the popularity of vanishing edges has been attended by a dramatic increase in problems with these structures, particularly on the outside surface of the freestanding wall that creates the elegant edge detail. The problems manifest themselves as cracks, surface delaminations, efflorescence and, in severe cases, as leaks. These are issues that have led to scores of dissatisfied homeowners and numerous potential
Through the past 20 years or so, the vanishing-edge look has become perhaps the most recognizable hallmark of high-end, custom swimming pools. In that time, these vessels have gone from relatively rare to remarkably common. These days, in fact, it's a rare builder who doesn't have at least a handful of these projects in his or her portfolio. Unfortunately, this growth in the popularity of vanishing edges has been attended by a dramatic increase in problems with these structures, particularly on the outside surface of the freestanding wall that creates the elegant edge detail. The problems manifest themselves as cracks, surface delaminations, efflorescence and, in severe cases, as leaks. These are issues that have led to scores of dissatisfied homeowners and numerous potential
They don’t come along very often, but every once in a while some of us are fortunate enough to become involved with a project that redefines what watershaping is all about. St. Lucia’s Jade Mountain was one of those remarkable opportunities, and no matter how long I’ll be in this business, I’m certain there will never be another project quite like this one. For starters, it stands as perhaps the most extensive and spectacular all-time use of the vanishing edge – ever, anywhere – all set in one of the most unusual buildings ever imagined for a resort property in a location that is almost indescribably beautiful. The brainchild of architect/owner Nick Troubetzkoy, Jade Mountain is
For years now, we've all heard that consideration of a site and its surrounding environment is one of the things that separates the average from the truly great projects. For my part, as I've grown as a watershape designer, I've found this simple concept carrying more and more weight in my work. With that site-driven value system somewhere in mind, I recently came across two books that provide some of the most compelling examples of this approach I've ever seen. It all started when I read a newspaper article about architect Antoine Predock, the 2006 recipient of the
For years now, we've all heard that consideration of a site and its surrounding environment is one of the things that separates the average from the truly great projects. For my part, as I've grown as a watershape designer, I've found this simple concept carrying more and more weight in my work. With that site-driven value system somewhere in mind, I recently came across two books that provide some of the most compelling examples of this approach I've ever seen. It all started when I read a newspaper article about architect Antoine Predock, the 2006 recipient of the
Anyone who's a parent knows that taking pride in their children's accomplishments and personal growth is one of life's greatest joys. In my case, that pleasure has been one of the defining factors of my existence for the past twenty-plus years - ever since the day my son Brett Herman was born and was joined four years later by his sister, Amanda. I know that I'm right in line with other parents who call their children
Anyone who's a parent knows that taking pride in their children's accomplishments and personal growth is one of life's greatest joys. In my case, that pleasure has been one of the defining factors of my existence for the past twenty-plus years - ever since the day my son Brett Herman was born and was joined four years later by his sister, Amanda. I know that I'm right in line with other parents who call their children
It's no secret among those who've been in my segment of the watershaping industry as long as I have that vinyl-liner pools weren't as attractive as their gunite counterparts in the old days: The finishes weren't very interesting, options in colors and patterns were limited, the only type of coping we used was made of aluminum and most liners were only available in rectangular configurations in a limited number of standard sizes. Despite those shortcomings, however, vinyl pools caught on, and in a big way, and I have watched every stage of that development for the more than three decades I've
It's no secret among those who've been in my segment of the watershaping industry as long as I have that vinyl-liner pools weren't as attractive as their gunite counterparts in the old days: The finishes weren't very interesting, options in colors and patterns were limited, the only type of coping we used was made of aluminum and most liners were only available in rectangular configurations in a limited number of standard sizes. Despite those shortcomings, however, vinyl pools caught on, and in a big way, and I have watched every stage of that development for the more than three decades I've
