education
Through all my years of working on WaterShapes, one of the most persistent frustrations I've encountered has had to do with the ongoing lack of access would-be watershapers have to college-level education on the subject. And it's a frustration shared by landscape architects, many of whom have told me how rankled they are by
It's a plain fact: Few designers weigh maintenance as heavily as other elements of a design when creating gardens for their clients. Most will routinely ask whether the client wants a low-maintenance environment or one that requires a little more work and may yield a greater abundance of flowers or other desirable features, but the consideration typically ends there. And this is so despite the fact that by leaving maintenance out at the design level, landshapers often doom themselves to
Most watershapers know that the work we do requires knowledge across a wide range of disciplines - a cluster of skills that includes, among others, geology, materials science, structural engineering, construction techniques, hydraulics, architecture, art history, color theory, drafting and more. As jacks of all trades, we don't really need to be "expert" on all of these fronts, but without a working knowledge of the technical and aesthetic disciplines involved in creating quality work, it's difficult to ensure the success of any given project. There's no question that some of us are better at certain disciplines than others, and it's up to us to recognize our strengths and weaknesses and fill in the gaps of our understanding as best we can. When it comes to structural engineering, for example, few of us qualify as bona fide engineers: That takes years of schooling and rigorous licensing processes. But almost all of us work with precise structural designs that are specific to the vessels and associated structures we design and/or build. In other words, we may not be engineers, but we sure as heck need to
Most watershapers know that the work we do requires knowledge across a wide range of disciplines - a cluster of skills that includes, among others, geology, materials science, structural engineering, construction techniques, hydraulics, architecture, art history, color theory, drafting and more. As jacks of all trades, we don't really need to be "expert" on all of these fronts, but without a working knowledge of the technical and aesthetic disciplines involved in creating quality work, it's difficult to ensure the success of any given project. There's no question that some of us are better at certain disciplines than others, and it's up to us to recognize our strengths and weaknesses and fill in the gaps of our understanding as best we can. When it comes to structural engineering, for example, few of us qualify as bona fide engineers: That takes years of schooling and rigorous licensing processes. But almost all of us work with precise structural designs that are specific to the vessels and associated structures we design and/or build. In other words, we may not be engineers, but we sure as heck need to
Through the years in these pages and elsewhere, I've been a persistent critic of the shortcomings of the watershaping trades in general - and especially of the pool and spa industry in which I've operated for more than 25 years. Sometimes I've been harsher than others, but my intent has invariably been to define the difference between quality work that elevates the trade and the junk that's held back our industry's reputation. I've never named names, but I've been particularly hard on practitioners who seem eternally stuck in old ways of thinking and working: Their work seldom lines up with the best efforts of which the industry is capable. Just recently, I had a long talk with WaterShapes' editor in which we discussed the development of a new approach to
Through the years in these pages and elsewhere, I've been a persistent critic of the shortcomings of the watershaping trades in general - and especially of the pool and spa industry in which I've operated for more than 25 years. Sometimes I've been harsher than others, but my intent has invariably been to define the difference between quality work that elevates the trade and the junk that's held back our industry's reputation. I've never named names, but I've been particularly hard on practitioners who seem eternally stuck in old ways of thinking and working: Their work seldom lines up with the best efforts of which the industry is capable. Just recently, I had a long talk with WaterShapes' editor in which we discussed the development of a new approach to
Sometimes, just when you think you have things all figured out, something comes along to transform your point of view. For as long as I've been a part of the watershaping trades in general and the pool/spa industry in particular, there have been those special occasions when I've had just the kind of experience that has caused me to see things with fresh eyes. Case in point is the trip I mentioned in my last column - the one in which I was heading to
Sometimes, just when you think you have things all figured out, something comes along to transform your point of view. For as long as I've been a part of the watershaping trades in general and the pool/spa industry in particular, there have been those special occasions when I've had just the kind of experience that has caused me to see things with fresh eyes. Case in point is the trip I mentioned in my last column - the one in which I was heading to
For centuries, human beings have turned to immersion and exercise in water as a means of healing injuries and illnesses and of promoting both physical and mental health. Researchers have investigated the hows and whys of these phenomena for years, and the benefits seem to be even more remarkable than originally thought. There's still much to learn, but there's already more than enough good news for watershapers to share with motivated clients. (Photos © Dreamstime)
I've always found it interesting that most of us have such a clear divide in our minds between technical and aesthetic thinking. Science tells us that our brains conduct analytical and logical thought processes on one side and creative and emotional thought processes on the other - and that certainly makes sense when you consider
