design • engineering • construction light number 9 volume 6 … · 2017. 4. 6. · by stephanie...

Inside: Stephanie Rose on Barriers

D e s i g n • E n g i n e e r i n g • C o n s t r u c t i o n

PLUS:An expert’s survey of

valve technology and use

RusticRhythmsA pool complex fit fora family’s deluxe retreat

Volume 6Number 9

September 2004$5.00

LightStudiesDeveloping a ‘vocabulary’for watershape lighting

Circle 56 on Postage Free Card

4 WATERsHAPES � SEPTEMBER 2004

September

Shining ThroughBy Janet Lennox MoyerA specialist’s introductionto the illumination of water

50

A Rustic RetreatBy Mario AbaldoLeading a huge visionto grand-scale fruition

34

Valve ValuesBy Steve GutaiDefining types,selection and use

46

contents

features

WATERsHAPES � SEPTEMBER 2004 5

In This Issue

Advertiser Index

Of Interest Index

Of Interest

6

8

60

60

62

10

18

20

70

WATERSHAPES (ISSN 1522-6581) is published monthly by McCloskey Communications, Inc. 6119 Lockhurst Dr.,Woodland Hills, CA 91367. A controlled circulation publication, WaterShapes is distributed without charge to qualifiedsubscribers. Non-qualified subscription rates in the U.S., $30 per year; Canada and Mexico $48 per year; all other coun-tries $64 per year, payable in U.S. funds. Single copies $10 per issue in the U.S. and Canada. All other countries $15per issue. Subscription requests must include name, job title, business location, address information and a signatureand date. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to WaterShapes, P.O. Box 1216, Lowell, MA 01853-9930.Periodicals postage rates paid at Woodland Hills, CA 91365 and additional mailing offices.

Volume 6 • Number 9 • September 2004

StructuresBy Eric Herman

How far havewe really come

Aqua CultureBy Brian Van Bower

Building pridefrom wall to wall

Natural CompanionsBy Stephanie Rose

Considering barriers thatdon’t scream ‘Stay out!’

Detail #42By David Tisherman

Setting the stagefor collaboration

Book NotesBy Mike Farley

Reaching for the bestin landscape lighting

10

20

columns

departments

18

On the cover:Photo courtesy Janet Lennox Moyer, MSH Visual Planners, Brunswick, N.Y.

EditorEric Herman — 714.449-1905

Associate EditorMelissa Anderson Burress— 818.715-9776

Contributing EditorsBrian Van Bower David TishermanStephanie Rose Rick Anderson

Art DirectorRick Leddy

Production ManagerRobin Wilzbach — 818.783-3821

Circulation ManagerSimone Sanoian — 818.715-9776

National Sales ManagerCamma Barsily — 310.979-0335

PublisherJames McCloskey — 818.715-9776

Publishing OfficeMcCloskey Communications, Inc.P.O. Box 306Woodland Hills, CA 91365Tel: 818.715-9776 • Fax: 818.715-9059e-mail: [email protected]: www.watershapes.com

© Entire contents copyright 2004. No portion of this publi-cation may be reproduced in any form without written per-mission of the publisher. Views expressed by the bylinedcontributors should not be construed as reflecting the opin-ion of this publication. Publication of product/service infor-mation should not be deemed as a recommendation by thepublisher.

Printed in the U.S.A.

A number of you have asked me, with varying degrees of urgency, to lightenup on what you see as the magazine’s criticism of the mainstream pool and spa in-dustry. We all know about the ‘poor reputation’that has dogged ‘pool guys’for yearsnow,you say, then urge me to look at the bright side and the progress made by thosewho design and build all those beautiful residential pools and spas we publish.

Yes, things have gotten better,and there are indeed more people doing good workon sophisticated projects – and lots more who are paying attention and doing whatthey can to overcome a regrettable industry reputation. That said, every once in awhile I run into something that makes me question just how far away from thepool-guy mentality we’ve managed to get.

Most of the time, I’ll run into small things that stand out and can no longer beexcused – white plastic skimmer lids in beautiful stone decks, for example,or pumpsso oversized that equipment pads screech like airplanes. In one recent case, how-ever, I ran into something that is so offensive with respect to basic aesthetics that Isimply can’t figure out what the builder could possibly have been thinking.

On my daily walk, I passed a spec home perched on a hilltop. I could tell therewas a pool up there, but it wasn’t because of the usual tell-tales – no slide, notrough for a vanishing edge. No, I knew there was a pool up there because justabove the street, on the main line of sight leading up the hill to the home, sat ahuge equipment pad and an array of pumps, filters, pipes, valves and fittings thatwas absolutely the first thing I (and everyone else) saw in approaching a multi-million-dollar estate.

As luck would have it, there was an open house that day, so I walked up thehill. The home was delightful – Spanish Colonial architecture, attractive land-scaping, sweeping views and top-drawer materials and products inside and out-side the home. The swimming pool was nice, too, at least up on top of the hill:generous faux rockwork, beautiful stone decking, a rich pebble finish and a nicebeach entry.

As I looked around, the developer stepped my way. He seemed pleased that I wasstudying the pool and said,“Really makes a statement, don’t you think?” I polite-ly agreed but couldn’t help mentioning the downslope eyesore. His response, I kidyou not, was,“You know, I talked with the pool contractor about that, and he toldme it was a great way to let people know there’s a swimming pool up here.”

I’m as impressed by a tight equipment set as any civilian can be, but I must sayI was rendered speechless. Placing equipment at the most visible street-level pointwithin the property lines struck me as either an exercise in bad taste or a grievousmistake,but dismissing the developer’s concern in this way (and with apparent suc-cess) seemed to epitomize the pool industry’s negative public image.

If I’d been the one laying out the long green to build a dream house, especiallyon spec, I wouldn’t have stood for that pad placement, and perhaps that’s wherethe problem lies: Are expectations so low that pool contractors can get away withthis sort of poor performance?

As one who cares deeply about the reputation and quality of work in the wa-tershaping trades, I left the home in a blue funk. For all the beautiful work pub-lished in this and other magazines, are there still those who haven’t opened theireyes and started figuring these things out?

WATERsHAPES �SEPTEMBER 20046

By Eric Herman

structures

Lessons On the Home Front

• A n a h e i m , C A • S a c r a m e n t o , C A • L i v e r m o r e , C A • S a n D i e g o , C A • Te m p e , A Z • Tu c s o n , A Z • L a s Ve g a s , N V • D a l l a s , T X • H o u s t o n , T X • L o n g w o o d , F L • N a p l e s , F L • P o m p a n o B e a c h , F L • S a r a s o t a , F L • N o r c r o s s , G A • H a t f i e l d , PA

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WATERsHAPES � SEPTEMBER 200488

Mario Abaldo is founder and president of

Abaldo Enterprises, a Union, Maine-based

design/build firm specializing in extremely

high-end, water-centered “total environ-

ments” for clients around the world. Abaldo

has been involved in hands-on custom work

for more than 25 years, having started a suc-

cessful business as a stonemason at age 15

and declaring that he still “loves the smell of

concrete in the morning.” He strives to bring

the latest in products and technical expertise

to his clients and projects, incorporating

such elements as high-tech security systems

and fire-on-water effects. He also brings a

diverse range of life experiences to bear in his

work, from his strong academic background

to his love for art and outdoor and underwa-

ter exploration.

Steve Gutai is product manager for pumps,

filters and valves with Jandy/Laars Products, a

division of WaterPik Technologies of

Petaluma, Calif. Gutai is a veteran of the

swimming pool industry, having spent more

than 13 years as an independent service and

repair technician and subcontractor in the Los

September’s Writersin this issue


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Angeles area. He spent three more years as a

technical service manager and outside sales

representative for Waterway Plastics in

Oxnard, Calif. Gutai joined Laars & Jandy in

2000 and now works directly with contractors

and engineers in designing circulation systems

for pools, spas and other watershapes. He

teaches hydraulics at trade shows throughout

the United States and is the featured hydraulics

instructor for Genesis 3’s Level 1 schools.

Janet Lennox Moyer is founder and prin-

ciple designer for MSH Visual Planners, a

landscape-lighting-design firm in Brunswick,

N.Y. She started her career as an interior de-

signer for commercial and residential clients

before shifting her focus exclusively to land-

scape lighting in 1983. Since then, she has

designed a broad array of highly prestigious

projects worldwide. In 1991, she wrote The

Landscape Lighting Book (John Wiley & Sons,

Inc.), the second edition of which will be

published in 2005. Moyer has lectured exten-

sively and is widely considered one of the

world’s foremost experts in the field of land-

scape lighting.


Interested in writing for WaterShapes on design, engineering or construction topics? Contact Eric Herman at (714) 449-1905!


10 WATERsHAPES �SEPTEMBER 2004

o doubt about it: More and more quality projects are being designedand built by the various segments of the watershaping trades these days.

That pleases me for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that ittends to reinforce my observation and belief that great work is done mostlyby people who take genuine pride in what they do. Indeed, I see such a con-sistent correlation between pride and quality that I’ve come to see the formercharacteristic as a prerequisite for performance at the highest level.

That may seem an obvious point, but when you scratch the surface of thesubject as it relates to the watershaping industry, it takes on surprising levelsof subtlety, nuance and complexity: Just how does someone get to a pointwhere pride is based on results and consistent performance? Just how dodesigners and project managers transfer their pride to those who work withthem? Most significant, just how do we structure our businesses so that a feel-ing of pride permeates the entire operation, top to bottom, and is naturallyreflected in the end product?

Those are big questions with answers that are definitely worth exploring.

contagious spiritOne of the most evident characteristics when

it comes to pride is that it is infectious on boththe personal and professional levels. We shouldall carry this particular contagion and work to-ward infecting others with it daily. To be able todo so,of course,we need to embody pride in whatwe do and radiate a positive mental attitude.

The foundations for pride and a positive atti-tude will differ from person to person. Some arelucky enough to have been raised by parents whoinstill positive values about work and education;others achieve great things almost despite their up-bringings. Some reach a high level of achievementby constantly challenging themselves;others havea native talent and learn as they go – and grow.

I, for one,had great parents who taught me thevalue of being proud of what I do. I can also speakfrom experience about the pride that comes fromhaving extended my capabilities through learn-ing and a willingness to try new things. That will-ingness is something I see as a habit of successthat enables me to overcome specific challengeson given projects (or sets of projects) and ulti-mately achieve beautiful results. This gives me afeeling of accomplishment that can be far moresatisfying than simple financial rewards.

But those are highly personal issues, and whatspecifically drives each of us will differ from per-son to person. Where the subject of pride becomesfar more objective and practical (and valuable) iswhen you consider the challenge of spreading yourown pride and positive attitude to other people ina way that drives a project to success.

Fact is,watershaping is almost always a groupeffort. It’s expected that the designer or the own-er of the contacting company will take pride inwhat they do,but there’s far less certainty that in-stallation crews will share in that same feeling.I often hear designers or owners complain aboutthe difficulty of finding “good people.” When Istep back and take a look at the situation, it’spainfully obvious to me that many of the indi-

By Brian Van Bower

aqua culture

One of the most evidentcharacteristics when it comes

to pride is that it is infectious on both the personal and

professional levels.

Standing Proud

N

These are their foundations for pride.The challenge for these people is to

transfer their own values,pride and devo-tion to quality down through the ranks.In other words, a big part of creating de-signs and guiding complex installations togood conclusions involves infecting every-one at every level of a project with a senseof the significance of the work at hand.

artful artisansOne of the big obstacles to the process

of transferring pride is, I believe, the factthat in this great nation we have demeanedthe status of those who get dirty and workwith their hands. There’s so much em-phasis on financial success and social sta-tus in our culture that we have, as a soci-ety,walked away from the idea that qualitymanual labor is not only honorable, butits own wellspring of pride and prestige.

Just consider the traditions of crafts-manship that have existed in Europeanand Asian cultures for centuries. There’sa striking contrast to the way we look atthings today: Where we tend to assumethat people who work with their hands doso because they lack the qualifications orgumption to work in white-collar occu-pations or intellectual pursuits, those oth-er cultures place value in craftsmanship –and people enter trades with the idea thatthey have a talent that should and mustbe nurtured through apprenticeship,on-going education and practical experience.

As far as I can see, that’s a completelydifferent outlook from the one we havein this country, and I believe the way weregard our workers has in general doneeveryone a disservice. More importantin the context of this column, it doesnothing to build pride in the work.

That’s a big issue,because the folks wholay the plumbing, install the steel, set thetile and plant the trees often spend lots oftime in direct contact with our clients. Ifthose workers take pride in what they doand our clients have the opportunity tointeract with people who recognize theimportance of their work, those clientsget a strong message about the quality ofthe project. They will gain confidencethat the outcome will be good. What’smore, the process of getting there will un-fold in a controlled, disciplined way.

By contrast, if a worker goes on site witha downtrodden or even resentful attitudeabout the nature of what he or she does,then even your best efforts as a designeror project manager can be completely un-dercut. In that sense, investing in youremployees’ pride becomes a profoundlyobjective, practical matter – somethingyou need to consider not just as a personalquality, but also as a key business neces-sity and one of your highest priorities.



viduals we hire to work in the trenches (lit-erally and figuratively) lack any strong con-viction that what they do for a living is im-portant or a source of real pride.

Those who work in creative or man-agerial capacities often have the advantageof formal education and awareness of in-formation that gives them a sense of con-trol and of the importance of their roles.

aqua culture

Continued on page 14


That’s much easier said than done,however, because we now live and workin a culture that in many respects makessub-professional work “acceptable” andrewards excuse-making in a variety of di-rect and indirect ways.

top downTo combat this ongoing and regrettable

trend,we all need to act in small ways with-in our own operations. As I mentionedabove, pride starts within each and everydesigner and manager. We all need to re-flect pride in what we say and do,otherwisethere’s no way we can convey it to others.

Once you have the right mindset,the nextstep is figuring out ways to make your ownvalues a daily part of the workplace. Some

of these are quite straightforward: WhenI ran a pool service company,for example,it was my mission to put people in the fieldwhom I’d trust in my mother’s backyard. Iset clear, workable standards for work at-tire,courtesy on the job site and what con-stituted a quality service call. These werenot vague recommendations; rather, theywere clear, specific requirements.

I had a sign over the door that read,“Through this door walk the world’s finestservice technicians.” I believed that sen-timent, and I paid my troops a wage thatwas higher than my competitors. But Itruly believe that their income had muchless to do with the quality of our servicethan the fact that they were backed up bya company that emphasized pride andhad clear definitions of quality work.

One of the people I most admire on thisfront is my long-time friend Bill Kent,pres-ident of Horner Xpress, a pool-productdistributor based in Fort Lauderdale,Fla.,as well as three manufacturing companies.He refers to his 350-plus employees as“Team Horner” – a concept he supportswith a bottom-up business philosophy thatlets everyone on staff know they have adaily stake in setting their firm apart fromthe competition. Their opinions and in-put are sought and considered on a vari-ety of levels,and Bill does an excellent jobof describing expectations in specific terms.

Company culture, however, is only onepart of the picture: He starts with goodpeople who are receptive to working in suchan environment – a quality he shares withothers I’ve known who have been success-ful in creating proud organizations and onehe perpetuates by challenging his people togrow both personally and professionally.

I know from my own experience thattaking care in the hiring process and re-fusing to hire those who don’t seem pre-pared to take pride in their work will pro-duce the best results: In doing so, youincrease your chances of success in fos-tering a positive work environment andin building true team spirit.

industry attitudeIt’s no secret that the watershaping trades

– and especially the pool/spa segment I callhome – have long been saddled with anodious reputation when it comes to prod-uct quality and job-site performance.


aqua culture

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establishments – big and small, famousand virtually unknown – are now re-spected as artists of food preparation.

Can we mirror that evolution in ourown industry and, in a generation,devel-op a cadre of skilled designers and builderswho will lead the watershaping industryto unimagined heights? Without dippinginto one of my familiar diatribes aboutthe importance of education, I don’t seehow we’ll ever be able to elevate our col-lective pride and performance until weembrace the idea of training a new gen-eration of hands-on designers,managersand craftspeople with great seriousness.

Perhaps I’m spinning a fanciful yarn here,but I’d love to see some sort of apprenticeprogram take root in our industry. Thinkhow much good it would do everyone ifthose who installed tile,lighting systems,in-terior surfaces or rockwork were trained toa set of specific educational standards. Thinkof the benefit of having trained designersand lead contractors who, like the chefs ingood restaurants, really know their stuff.

Short of that,we’re all left with the chal-lenge I outlined in the first sections of thiscolumn and with finding ways to infectour lives and our businesses with the pridethat comes from doing the best we possi-bly can. That’s a task none of us will everbe able to set aside,and I suspect it would-n’t disappear even if every one of us need-ed the equivalent of a doctorate in orderto do what we do.

As a starting point,it’s important to rec-ognize a simple fact: The honor and no-bility of labor at any level is not conveyedby the size of the paycheck or the prestigeof the project,but rather by the knowledgethat no matter the task at hand, the workrepresents the best possible effort. Once weknow and embrace that concept,we openthe door to letting pride become as integralto our work as the water itself.



chefs working at famous restaurants,rank-and-file chefs and cooks were oncewidely considered to be little more thanunskilled labor. All of that has changedin the current generation because thefood and wine industry has made a hugepoint of educating ordinary workers. Asa result, clear hierarchies have emerged,and chefs working across a wide range of

Unfortunately, that reputation has beenearned over many years, and the processof turning things around under those cir-cumstances is a long and daunting road.

I take heart in the parallel story of an al-together different industry – the restaurantbusiness – and the way things have changedfor their principal creative talents,the chefs.

Although there have always been great

Brian Van Bower runs Aquatic Consultantsand is a partner in Van Bower & Wiren, apool-construction firm in Miami. He is also aco-founder of Genesis 3, A Design Group;dedicated to top-of-the-line performance inaquatic design and construction, this orga-nization conducts schools for like-mindedpool designers and builders. He can bereached at [email protected].

WS

aqua culture


e’re all aware of local codes and other requirements regarding thefences we use to surround watershapes: Many of the solutions

we are forced to adopt can be quite unsightly and often detract signifi-cantly from the overall visual beauty we’re trying to create with our wa-tershapes and planting plans.

Unfortunately, many designers and contractors seem to see all fencesas being grossly equivalent, meaning that they’re taking the rules that ap-ply around watershapes and translating them into non-watershape set-tings, probably because it’s the path of least resistance at a time when thepublic seems to be leaning quite heavily toward twin desires for securityand privacy.

Although I understand the need for those rigid qualities, I would like topropose that no fence, wall, hedge or other barrier between your clientand the rest of the world needs to be so imposing or so explicit in sendingthe message, “Stay out!” I do so in the belief that there are many aestheti-cally pleasing ways of establishing barriers that serve whatever purpose yourclient is trying to achieve.

artful boundariesAs a case in point, I was brought in to design

the landscape for a corner property in thePacific Palisades area of southern California.When I first arrived on the scene, the propertywas covered with dead or dying sod interspersedwith a few random clumps of Agapanthus. Thiswas obviously a landscape that hadn’t beentouched in years.

The property was shaped like an elongatedrectangle, with the L-shaped house positionedrelatively close to the southeast corner. Therewas a very small stretch on the east side of theproperty (enclosed by the shape of the house)that functioned as a private entertainment/back-yard/play area.

What remained was a large, L-shaped areafacing the street that was basically an all-pur-pose frontyard/sideyard/play area. The spacewas defined by the home and the curb; other-wise, it was completely open to the street andneighborhood.

The homeowners had two young childrenat the time and wanted to enclose the openportion of the property in some way that did-n’t involve creating an imposing barrier. Theidea was to maintain the open appearancewhile setting up some sort of formal bound-ary that would keep the children in and dogsand neighbors out. In other words, theyweren’t looking to put up a six-foot-tall ma-sonry wall.

They also enjoyed working in their gardenand wanted to fill the newly defined space withcutting flowers and enough plants so that they’dbe able to teach their children about gardening.They also saw it as a way to entice themselvesout into the yard every weekend.

At that point,we started talking about multi-

By Stephanie Rose

natural companions

No fence, wall, hedge or othernon-watershape barrier

between your client and therest of the world needs to

be so imposing or so explicit in sending the

message, ‘Stay out!’

Friendly Barriers

W

ple options with respect to “open fencing.”

a ligher touchWhat I mean by open fencing is a bar-

rier that stands well this side of a solid cin-der-block wall or even a tightly paneledwood fence – that is, something in chainlink,wrought iron or open wood framing.

In this instance, my suggestions wereabout fence choices that would also be-come functional with respect to theirplanting scheme,and before long we set-tled on a split-rail fence.

The rustic nature of this type of fenceimmediately gives off a friendly, neigh-borly feeling. It is visually open; blendswith and will become one with borderplants; allows the homeowners to see be-yond their property; and allows neigh-bors to glimpse in. At the same time, itcreates enough of a barrier to discouragedogs while separating their children fromtraffic and the street.

I set the fence in about four feet fromthe curb on the west and north sides of



natural companions

The split-rail fence offers enough of a boundary that it creates a sense of privacy and se-curity – but doesn’t establish a heavy barrier that will cut the family off from views of theneighborhood.

the property, leaving an opening for thepath to their door. I then created a me-andering border on either side of thefence that was no wider than 18 inchesat any given point. This left room onthe street side for sod, which gives vis-itors who park alongside the propertythe opportunity to open their car doorsand step onto something other thanflower beds.

The street-side border strip was plant-ed mostly with low-slung perennials soas not to create maintenance nightmaresas the plants grow. (It’s always and ob-viously important to consider the antic-ipated mature size of the plants and de-cide whether you want them to grow intothe space or stay smaller so they won’t in-terfere with the function of the sur-rounding space.)

On the inside of the fence, I anchoredthe border with Birch and Ficus trees.(As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I’m nota big fan of planting Ficus, but in thiscase I knew they’d be far enough away



natural companions

The mirrored use of plants along the fence and the home’s foundation softens the overallimpression of the space, while the vines that flank the entry will welcome guests with spring-time fragrance.

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from the house and underground ser-vices that their invasiveness wouldn’tbe an issue.) We also planted a varietyof perennials, roses and shrubs and in-cluded a sprinkling of annuals for somesplashes of instant color.

Next, I established a mirroring borderalong the home’s foundation (excludingFicus, of course) to tie the yard togethervisually. This left a large, open area for alawn suitable for playing, entertaining orwhatever else might come up.

By having plants that hugged the fenceand the foundation, we produced an en-vironment lush with plants that was openenough in the middle to support the needof the family for a space that was anythingbut claustrophobic.

other optionsBeyond being rustic and appropriate

to the home and neighborhood, thesplit-rail fence has worked marvelouslywith the plants we selected. This was es-pecially true at the break we created forthe entry pathway: We planted PinkJasmine vines that completely cover thefence on either side, so visitors in thespring will be treated to exquisite fra-grance and beautiful flowers withoutever noticing a barrier of any kind.

Depending upon the style of the homeand characteristics of the neighborhood,there are lots of options for open fencingbeyond split rails. Here are a few of thepossibilities:w Chain-link fence. I know, I know.

But don’t instantly reject this candidate,because great open-work barriers can becreated with this cheapest of materials. Agood, sturdy chain link fence is the per-fect support for vines – which is part ofthe point, because I would never recom-mend using this material unless you planon covering it completely.

Where I live and work,vigorous grow-ers such as Blood Red Trumpet Vine ma-ture into perfect complements to chainlink, forming green walls that just don’tseem imposing. When planted withCreeping Fig, such green walls also serveas great backdrops for other plantings.w Wrought iron. I’ve never been a

big fan of enclosing properties withwrought iron fencing, but like chainlink, this material is a wonderful host

for vines and creeping plants and canhelp preserve an open feel. When sur-rounded by perennials and shrubs,boundary effects similar to those Iachieved with the split-rail fence can bedeveloped.w Wire fences. These open-work bar-

riers offer a highly architectural, slightlyindustrial but extraordinarily crisp optionin the fencing realm. The stainless-steel“ropes” are under some tension, whichmakes them durable barriers as well andefficient support systems for plants. Incontemporary or modernist settings, thisapproach has considerable appeal.w Natural branches. Using bamboo

or willow is a particularly rustic way tocreate a barrier. There’s some expertiseinvolved in using these plants and get-ting them to “behave” as needed, so Iwould recommend consulting withsomeone who has experience before em-barking on a fence project with them.One thing I do know is that these fencesare typically not quite as sturdy as thosemade of other materials I’ve mentioned,but the aesthetic and creative possibil-ities are more than sufficient to makethis option worth considering.w Hedges. This is an option that takes

time to develop and so may not be idealin all cases, but low- or medium-heighthedges can set up a green border that dis-courages intrusion without cutting offviews. The list of candidate plants is ex-tensive, from boxwood to a range of ever-greens. It’s largely a matter of decidingwhether the border needs to function rightaway – or can take its time to develop.

There are many more choices for good,neighborly fences, so long as you andyour clients consider that there are waysto balance a basic need for privacy andsecurity with a desire to keep an open,beautiful view.


Stephanie Rose runs Stephanie RoseLandscape Design in Encino, Calif. A specialistin residential garden design, her projects of-ten include collaboration with custom poolbuilders. If you have a specific question aboutlandscaping (or simply want to exchangeideas), e-mail her at [email protected] also can be seen on episodes of “TheSurprise Gardener” on HGTV.

WS


n several occasions during the past few years, I’ve had the privilege ofworking with talented professionals who have made it possible for me

to operate comfortably far from my home base on what have often been ex-tremely ambitious projects. In fact, I’ve found some of my most exciting andrewarding recent jobs have been the result of these collaborations with otherwatershapers.

Although working with them is different from my usual way of doingbusiness and running projects – and the relationships I’ve built with eachof my collaborators differs from person to person – I’ve found that thereare points of commonality that are crucial to making things work: trust,control, knowledge and friendship (not necessarily in that order).

In my case, my colleagues and I are not figuring out how to build water-shapes; instead, what we’re exploring is a shared desire to tackle challengingjobs and take what we do to higher levels and in exciting new directions.We each bring what we know and what we do to the table, and when thingsclick, the whole truly is greater than the sum of the parts.

by trainingMy experience with collaboration began in college,when I was working on

my master’s in industrial design at California State University, Northridge.I had a wonderful instructor, Gil Rios, who divided a class into three groups

24 WATERsHAPES �SEPTEMBERT 2004

of four. Each group was given a project with atwo-day deadline, and even though the resultswere disastrous in some ways, the experience wasinvaluable: I learned a lot about the fun and chal-lenge of working with strong-willed, talentedpeople each of whom had definite ideas abouthow things should be done.

First, I learned that when you go into a creativesituation with a group of egos and outsized per-sonalities of any number,you all have to be on thesame page right from the start about issues of con-trol,areas of responsibility and the structure of theprocess. I also learned that every design projectneeds a leader and that he or she must understandboth design and how things actually come together.As Gil told us, someone who sits in an office allday and does nothing but draw does a disserviceto a project and everyone involved.

(He also taught us – and I believe it profoundly– that design by committee is death. But thatthought is probably fuel for another whole col-umn, so I’ll set it aside for now.)

As watershapers,we encounter strong person-alities all the time: architects, landscape architects,interior designers, general contractors – evenhomeowners. To get the most from the collab-oration with them, we must know who on theteam makes the final decisions and will be fol-lowing through as questions and challenges un-fold during the design and installation processes.

This isn’t about control of the project or of be-ing controlled; rather, it’s about defining a peck-ing order in the decision-making process, settingup areas of responsibility,establishing time framesand fortifying lines of communication.

Certainly, this doesn’t mean much if you andyour collaborators aren’t operating on a highlevel. These days, I don’t take people at theirword when they call themselves “designers” oreven “architects”in some cases,because there aresimply too many charlatans out there who abuse

By David Tisherman

tisherman: detail 42

What my collaborators and Ihave in common, deep down, is a passion for creativity and

quality – not to mention anawareness of the importance of

constant job-site supervision.

Rules ofEngagement

O

those terms. I am extremely careful towork only with people (watershapers in-cluded) who are demonstrably capableand professional and who also have wonmy trust and often my friendship. Whatwe have in common,deep down, is a pas-sion for creativity and quality – not tomention an awareness of the importanceof constant job-site supervision.

This last item is a big one for me, be-cause if there’s one paramount factor onevery custom watershaping job I’ve evertackled, it has to do with changes and ad-justments that must be made on the fly.Frankly,I cannot understand how anyonecan create a plan,maybe visit the site a timeor two during construction and then justlet things go without further input. Asmuch as I value beautiful renderings andpresentations, there is no escaping the factthat these documents are only the barestbeginning of a process that unfoldsthroughout the course of a project.

The point is, every one of the peopleI’m about to discuss intuitively under-

stands the need for close supervision.They may have differing levels of know-ledge and expertise and idiosyncraticmanagement styles, but the fact that wemesh on this important philosophicalfoundation is a key to our working rela-tionships. Even more important, they

want to work with me,and I want to workwith them.

my man in jerseyFor the past 18 months,my closest col-

laborator has been my New Jersey partner,Kevin Fleming. We started our company,




Barging in southern France: Randy and Martha Beard (at left) join me and Lisafor an al fresco meal.

Many of you have askedwhy you need to fill outsubscription cards ifno information aboutyour business haschanged. Here’s why:

We are required by the U.S. Postal Service and theBureau of Publication Audits to be able to prove, withyour signature on a card, that you asked to receive themagazine and that you are a watershaper.

If we don’t hear from you once each year, you run therisk of being cut off our subscriber list. And it canhappen even if you have received every issue we’veever published.

This is important, so take a minute once each year to

complete one of the subscription card we include in

every issue of the magazine and mail it to us. Thanks!

ATTENTION ALL READERS!

Liquid Designs of Cherry Hill,N.J.,to bringa new potential for high-end custom workto clients in the northeastern United States.

I don’t want to overgeneralize,becausethere are good people doing good workin that market area, but what I’ve foundis that local watershapers – and people inthe northeast’s swimming pool indus-try especially – are very, very reluctant tocooperate with one another or share anyinformation. In all my 25 years in the poolbusiness, I’ve never encountered such alevel or sense of competitiveness, and ithas been eye-opening (and disappoint-ing) to say the least.

Unlike so many northeastern water-shapers,Kevin is open to cooperation andcollaboration,and we’ve developed a nice-ly complementary working relationship:I take care of design and the up-front ne-gotiations, while he manages operationsand takes care of our clients as projects

unfold. I travel to New Jersey twice amonth for stretches of four to six dayseach time. Whether I’m there or else-where, Kevin and I talk five to ten timesa day, six days a week,and the discussionsare wide open.

For his part,Kevin respects the fact thatI do not compromise on quality and willwalk onto a job site and point out prob-


27WATERsHAPES �SEPTEMBER 2004

lems and imperfections that must be ad-dressed. For mine, I appreciate his sug-gestions,value the fact that they are basedon personal observations on site andcouldn’t be happier that our conversa-tions,which sometimes get tense or evenheated, enable us to deal with specific is-sues way before they become problems.

Many of our projects are large and

On the road in Italy: Kevin Ruddy (left), Paul Benedetti(right) and I pause in front of a courtyard fountain.

complex. In some cases, simply securingthe materials we need is a huge challenge,and without Kevin being on the spot andaware of what’s happening,none of whatwe’re doing together would be possible.

In sum,Kevin is an east-coast guy whounderstands the nature of the business inhis area. By combining his experience,savvy and skills as a project manager withmy design skills and extensive backgroundin construction, we’ve been able to per-form at the highest professional level evenwhen I’m not on site daily.

Sure,getting to this point has been dif-ficult and filled with risk, especially sincewe were introducing an ultra-high-endproduct to a marketplace where some-one is always telling our clients that theydon’t need what we have to offer or thatthey can do things cheaper – and oftenget in over their heads because they don’tknow enough about construction to seewhy we do things the way we do.

So far, our gamble is paying off andthere’s more demand than we can cover.Best of all,Kevin and I have forged a closeand rewarding professional and person-al relationship based on trust and a com-mon understanding of our roles in theprocess.

the other coastA good collaboration doesn’t neces-

sarily entail starting up a business ven-ture. In fact,one of my current “partners”has a business of his own that builds high-end, custom watershapes for affluentclients in the well-heeled communities ofOrange County, Calif.

Randy Beard is indeed an extraordi-nary contractor who has shaped a dy-namic niche for his firm, Pure WaterPools of Costa Mesa, Calif., by workingwith top-flight designers and architectsin creating beautiful swimming poolsand backyard environments.

He’s never claimed to be a designer,buthe’s about as construction-savvy as theycome and does fantastically sensitivework for an extremely demanding clien-tele. He understands what it is to usequality materials, build in challengingsettings, deal with difficult clients and,best of all (and like Kevin Fleming),man-age a project on site with the highest pos-sible standard for quality.





Continued on page 30

We came together recently when Ijumped into a radically complex projecton the bay next to the Newport YachtClub in Newport Beach, Calif. The ex-isting home was to be knocked down andrebuilt, but the owner had wanted to sal-vage an old pool in the front yard. Withmy input, the old pool is history and willbe replaced by a new one that will betucked up under the home. The resultwill be a spectacular entryway with largestepping pads leading to the front doorover a shallow portion of the watershape.

I knew right away that this was a pro-ject that had captured my interest, but Ialso knew its location in south OrangeCounty would make it advantageous forme to find a local collaborator with localcontacts.

As I mentioned above, I see no good tocome of throwing a set of plans at a pro-ject and walking away, particularly givenone of this complexity and difficulty andthe ongoing requirement there would befor on-site analysis and adjustment. So Icontacted Randy, a Genesis 3 participantwho became such a good friend that heand his wife, Martha, joined me and myfiancée on a trip to France not long ago.

Our friendship gave me the opportu-nity to learn how he thinks and works,and I applied what I knew in suggestinga working relationship. Ultimately, wedecided that this project would involve

some of his crews and some of mine andthat we would work very closely togeth-er in executing the complex design.

At this point,we’re dealing with myriadstructural issues,but we’re also discussingaesthetics and the kind of palette we needto develop to complement the home’s pro-posed variety of pinks,yellows and beiges.Among other things, we’re looking at aninterior pool finish in a vivid, blood-redplaster. (As this one progresses, it’s likelyto be the subject of future “Details.”)

broader horizonsI’m currently working in a similar rela-

tionship in northern California with PaulBenedetti of Aquatic Technologies inMorgan Hill. In this case, I was asked todesign and – just as important in this case– build a pool for a winery in Calistoga,Calif.,owned by a San Francisco-based artcollector. (I’d been referred to the clientby three other builders.)

The project couldn’t be much grander.It includes two parallel, 70-meter van-ishing edges that terminate in a thirdedge that stretches 30 meters – that’sabout 180 feet of vanishing edge – as wellas a slot-overflow detail on another edge.The whole composition rises substan-tially above grade, and a large, luminoussculpture by a well-known artist will be



travel time

It’s not a prerequisite for working with me, but it’s probably not too much of a coincidencethat all of the people mentioned in this column have at one time or another been my travelingcompanions on trips to Italy, France, Spain and various other spots around the globe.

In Randy Beard’s case, the fact that he and his wife Martha joined my fiancée Lisa and meon a barging trip through southern France gave us an opportunity to get to know each other inways that just aren’t possible in the workaday world. The relaxed time we all spent togetherwatching the French countryside go by deepened our friendship and built a foundation for trustthat will pay dividends for years to come.

I’ve had similarly positive experiences with Gerald Hermanson in Alaska and David Schneiderin Spain: Travel creates a special environment in which all sorts of good, productive thingshappen.

It was a trip to Venice and Florence with another Genesis 3 participant, Kevin Ruddy of OmegaPool Structures in Toms River, N.J. (along with Paul Benedetti and both their wives), that I hada chance to listen to Kevin and learn in detail about the art and science of dehumidification. Asa result, I knew to call him in on an exquisite, grand-scale, all-glass-tile indoor pool projectKevin Fleming and I are preparing to build.

What their willingness to travel tells me is that these are my kind of people: passionate aboutlearning, interested in seeing historic or significant places with their own eyes and capable ofhaving a good time on the road. This kind of travel doesn’t happen only with me tagging along.Indeed, you can rest assured that, even without me, you can get out and see the world, absorbideas and let them inspire your work as a watershaper.

Just pack a bag and go: It’ll do you a world of good.– D.T.

Working vacation: WhenI’m on the road, I encourage

my companions to join mein seeking out watershapesand concepts we can trans-

late to our own projects.

mounted on four pilasters to stand atone end of the pool.

At a minimum, the project will requireclose collaboration of the owner,sculptor,general contractor,structural engineer,me-chanical engineer and two watershapers,a cause toward which Paul and I haveformed a joint venture. He’s a Genesis 3participant,I know his work,he’s becomea friend and,as anyone who has talked withhim for more than 30 seconds knows, hehas amazing passion,great intensity and atotal commitment to quality.

Over in Santa Fe, N.M., I was asked toconsult on and build a 24,000-square-footpool (designed by the world-renowned ar-chitect Tadao Ando) for a wealthy client. Icalled Gerald Hermanson of HermansonConstruction in Albuquerque and DavidSchneider of Nature’s Creations in SantaFe (another pair of Genesis 3 participants)to lend their expertise to the project. Again,I looked for accomplished professionals inthe local area,and in this case,we’re work-ing our way toward forming a three-wayproject partnership.

The entire plan is now back with thearchitect for review and revision and fewdetails have been settled,but I’m delight-ed to have made these contacts in such apromising market because there will al-ways be future opportunities we can dis-cuss and pursue as a team.

I’m also doing a project in Fort Worth,Texas, that includes a 4,000-square-footswimming pool in a setting that features,among other elements,a pair of all-glass-tile changing rooms in a Gothic ruin setpartly in, on and around the pool (basi-cally to exploit great reflections), a longvanishing edge, a slide incorporated intoa tree house, a diving well and platform,thermal ledges and a massive set of step-ping pads. The plan also includes a vol-leyball area and a separate spa.

In this case, my construction supervi-sor will be my friend of more than 15years,Michael Nantz of Elite Concepts inDenton, Texas. We’ve worked togetherseveral times before on projects in Mexicoand on a huge job in Dallas. This time,I’ll handle the design and call the aestheticshots while Mike will manage things onsite with a crew made up of some of myCalifornia subcontractors and his localcontacts.





a firm handshakeAs I mentioned above, all of the indi-

viduals with whom I’ve formed these re-lationships and partnerships are very dif-ferent from one another, each with hisown management style and distinctivepersonality. What they have in commonis what’s important: reliable knowledgeof watershape construction and specificfamiliarity with the difference betweenquality and junk.

In addition, they are all people whokeep their word, which brings me to a fi-nal and critically important point: Trustis everything in these sorts of working re-lationships,whatever the inner workings.

Every one of these professionals – Kevin,Randy, Paul, Gerald, David and Mike –is someone with whom I feel comfortablein a working relationship. No matter howskilled or creative someone might be,therewould be no possibility of doing anythingtogether without that level of trust.

There have been occasions in the pastwhere I’ve run into someone who has be-

trayed my professional trust in one way oranother,and that is simply not acceptable.High-end watershape projects are so chal-lenging and complex that you have to beable to rely unconditionally on what a col-laborator tells you. And when it works,theresults are satisfying on every level, per-sonal and professional.


33WATERsHAPES �SEPTEMBER 2004

David Tisherman is the principal in two de-sign/construction firms: David Tisherman’sVisuals of Manhattan Beach, Calif., and LiquidDesign of Cherry Hill, N.J. He is also co-founder and principal instructor for Genesis3, A Design Group, which offers educationaimed at top-of-the-line performance inaquatic design and construction.

Fun at sea: Thesense of camaraderieexperienced in fishingtrips has forged friend-ships that have carriedover to watershapingprojects. In this case,

Steve Dallons (left) andKevin Fleming (second

from right) wereamong those who

joined me on one ofmy many visits to

Alaska.

WS


RusticARetreat


The Shenandoah Valley of westernVirginia is one of the most beautiful placesI’ve ever been. The site to which we weresummoned in January 2004 – a 220-acreestate set amidst its rolling hills – con-firmed that opinion in every possible wayby offering incredible views of nearby val-leys, forests, farmland and mountains.

We’d been called to take over a grand-scale swimming-pool project,one as out-sized as the property with respect to scopeand complexity – and one that requiredconstant, detailed interaction with theclients, whose family includes four boysranging in ages from six to 14. The desirewas to create an environment that wouldprovide their kids and their friends withsafe, stimulating recreation.

Before we were through, the programfeatured a waterfall and grotto,a beach en-try,a rocky island,multiple waterfalls andbrooks,a customized spa,a “jumping jew-el”waterfeature,a waterslide,a pool house,a playground area, expansive decking,fiberoptic lighting, misting systems, wa-ter cannons and an advanced outdoorsound system. The free-form pool con-tains 142,000 gallons of water and is sur-rounded by tons of highly detailed, star-tlingly realistic faux-rock formations.

All told, the pool and surrounding areacost around $2 million – just about rightfor such a breathtaking setting.

Up the DriveThe residential compound is an up-

scale, rustic retreat with a 14,000-square-foot main house,a pool house and a sub-stantial guest house,all lavishly decoratedwith art. Bringing a watershape to

Aesthetic thrills and technical perfection: Those are the twin goals watershaper Mario Abaldoalways pursues in developing his high-end custom environments – and the project coveredhere is a case in point with a twist: In this instance, he came in on a complex project thathad gone miserably off course in a remote location in western Virginia and introduced asystematic, collaborative approach that set things back up for a grand conclusion.

By Mario Abaldo

fruition amid these elevated surround-ings was a massive undertaking for whichour project manager, Mike Smith, de-serves a lion’s share of the credit.

When we first made our way up thelong,winding drive that leads to the mainhouse, we found a disaster of a pool pro-ject already under way. Without goinginto great detail about the situation or theproblems, it was immediately clear thatthe original contractors had gotten in wayover their heads.

All that had been completed to thatpoint was a shell and a basic concept. Thevessel had a sort of distorted kidney shape,and we could see how the fundamentalplacement and shape of the structurecould work with the site and the contoursof the existing landscape. We could alsosee the potential for a variety of additionalfeatures that would work comfortablywith what was at that point little morethan an oddly shaped bowl.

We had photos of the original excava-tion and the soils report and knew that thepool shell had been set directly into shaleand bedrock. That was fine,but an inad-equate drainage system coupled with alack of percolation through the shallowrock pointed to a potential problem withhydrostatic pressure and the possibilitythat the shell might,with too much pres-sure build-up,pop right out of the ground.As a result, our first step was to excavatethe entire area around the shell and installa gravel system and subsurface drains.

Another big problem with the originalapproach had to do with the plumbing,which was little more than what you’d ex-pect to find with an average backyardpool. So we brought in drills and jack-hammers and installed all-new plumb-ing as well as a variety of new suction andreturn lines.

While the perimeter was excavated forthe work described just above, we com-pletely re-plumbed the shell with all-newskimmer and main drain lines, suctions,returns and lines supplying hidden valvesthat would electronically divert water ina variety of ways. Included in the newplumbing were supply lines for the“jumping jewels,” overflow lines, slideboosters and an array of waterfalls – not


When we arrived on site, we found the shell and grotto that had been left behind by the orig-inal contractor. Both structures required an immense amount of rethinking and reworking,but we were able to use them as points of departure in our new plans.

Much of our initial work had to do with establishing adequate drainage systems to avoid antici-pated problems with hydrostatic pressure. In doing so, we trenched around the outside of theshell, inserted drain lines and filled the space with gravel. There was still much to do, however,before any backfilling could be done.

to mention six main suction lines justfrom the spa.

Within the trenches, we also installedthousands of feet of conduit for low- andhigh-voltage lines, communications andspeaker cables, security-system connec-tions and remote-control systems as wellas conduits and lines for fiberoptics, land-scape lighting, irrigation and the watercannons. To make a long story short, thetrenches became home to all of the con-duits and lines needs to meet the re-quirements of the overall program.

On its own, the filtration system turnsover all of the pool’s 142,000 gallons inless than six hours. With the whole poolup and running (including pumps for cir-culation as well as the slide,waterfalls andall the other waterfeatures), the water flowapproaches 1,800 gallons per minute,andit’s all been set up to stay operational year’round. Although there’s little likelihoodthe pool will see much use through thecold months, we saw to off-season inter-est by installing the waterfeatures with theidea that ice will form in certain areas (es-pecially with the various waterfalls) tolend drama to wintertime viewing.

Scaling UpFrom the start, the homeowners made

it clear that they wanted an environmentthat provided activities of interest to a va-riety of people in several different agegroups. As we progressed through theearly stages of the project, the punch listof bells and whistles grew dramatically– a process that succeeded because theclients were willing to work hand-in-glovewith us to fit various elements into theprogram and reach agreements thateverything was still making sense.

In my design work, I’m a big fan of theelement of surprise. I’ll never forget firststudying and later experiencing the in-credible “forced perspective” of ancientGreek temples, in which one typically as-cends a dark narrow passageway then fi-nally emerges to behold a breathtakingvista featuring a body of water. It feels likea surprise,yet everything has all been en-gineered to give us this unique and spe-cific pleasure. That is the kind of effect


While the trenches behind the shell were still open, we upgraded much of the pool’s plumb-ing, using bigger pipes, adding skimmers, suction and return lines and inserting a variety ofspecial-effects lines. All of these new runs snaked their ways back en masse to the basementof the pool house.

that was our goal throughout this project:controlled,yet utterly spontaneous – justlike nature.

Much of our design work from the be-ginning also involved working with theinitial steps the original crews had takenwith the grotto. The first design includ-ed a simple, mostly square grotto with alarge sheeting water effect pouring overthe front. Unfortunately, little thoughthad been given to blending this vertical

structure in with the surrounding area.We worked around that concept by se-

riously extending the size and complex-ity of the entire structure. Not only doesthe structure now include the grotto anda slide, it also encompasses a broadrockscape that features a variety of for-mations and various smaller waterfallsthat break off in several locations and cas-cade over and around the mouth of thegrotto. We fashioned rough,vigorous wa-ter flows in some places, balanced by

smaller cascades in others. There are noclear, sheeting effects anywhere, thethought being that they’d seem less thannatural with rockwork such as this.

The large waterfall falling over the grot-to is controlled by three pumps that ma-nipulate the flow from robust all the waydown to a trickle. The rockwork featuresa variety of plateaus and safely accessible“destinations” that encourage climbingon all sides. There are also diving pads set

up at several locations.On one side of the rock structure is a

flat area that includes a fog generator anda sophisticated “jumping jewel” systemwith nine low-voltage illuminated jets.Operating under their own independentcontrol system, the jets and lights offerseveral entertainment options: random-generated, pre-programmed shows orleaping in time to music or firing in pat-terns triggered by motion sensors that ef-fectively make the system “play”with any-

one who steps into the area.This system was fabricated by Water-

works International (Kankakee, Ill.),which lent all the technical support weneeded to design, install and program thesystem. (Waterworks also provided fourwater cannons located at strategic posi-tions around the pool for play of a moreaggressive sort.)

The primary rock structure includes a35-foot waterslide that has specially de-

signed booster feeds that alter the flowwithin the slide from gentle to gushing.The slide also has a rain-curtain effect andmisters both inside and in the splash-down zone, which offers the intriguingeffect of concealing the surface of the wa-ter to which the slider emerges.

Half the slide is a tube covered in rock– a tribute to my quest for the element ofsurprise. From outside, the slide is hid-den, but inside it feels like shootingthrough a tunnel (lit with colored fiberop-


The project includes a grotto structure and its various cascades, pools and falls; the wide range of visual effects over a broad and complex terrain with numerous focal poin

tic lights, of course). The slide also loopsover the walkway, creating a suspendedarea and also giving the walkway its ownarch (and underpass).

Adjacent to the “jumping jewel”area isa spa,custom-made using measurementstaken from the clients for both hy-drotherapy and relaxation. Its 32 jets pro-vide a range of massaging effects fromnecks and backs down to calves and feet.The spa overflows into a small stream that

flows over some rockwork,across a smallsection of deck and into the pool.

Precise DetailSo far, we’ve covered the grotto struc-

ture and its various cascades, pools andfalls; the slide and its falls; the “jumpingjewel”area; the spa and its stream; and thefog and misting systems – a wide rangeof visual effects over a broad and com-plex terrain with numerous focal pointsas well as a spectrum of sounds from the

delicate to the (almost) overwhelming.In addition, there’s an island within the

pool that relates to three key areas and dif-ferent sets of recreational activities. Theisland separates the deep end of the poolon one side (in front of the main grotto,slide and waterfall structure) from a shal-low play area on another – a space dedi-cated to volleyball and other games – anda broad beach entry on a third wheresmall children can play at a safe distance

from rowdier activities.To add interest to the island area, we

installed a waterfall in the railing of thenine-foot access bridge that rains a cur-tain of water down on swimmers passingbeneath the span. We also built the islandwith lighting, misters and rockwork aswell as one of the water cannons, all forrelaxation as well as play.

In addition, we created a babblingbrook that is visible and audible from themain house and extends under the sec-

ond bridge from the pool (the first bridgebeing to the island). The brook and thepool are actually completely separate,withthe pool ending and the stream begin-ning halfway under the bridge to give theillusion of a continuous, uninterruptedflow of water.

As suggested above, we set up manymisting systems throughout the backyardenvironment,both to knock down the of-ten-sweltering heat of local summers as

well as to provide a range of striking vi-sual effects – especially in combinationwith the soft,multi-colored glow of manyruns of fiberoptic lighting.

The multi-zoned sound system usescustom rock speakers that blend in withthe rockwork. Music or other sound ef-fects can be played in various areas, andthere’s also an intercom/public-addresssystem. All of this is run from the poolhouse, where a CD jukebox holds thou-sands of tunes. The sound system is also


Once the plumbing issueshad been dealt with and allour lines stubbed out, webegan the process of mak-ing the square profile of thegrotto blend gracefully intoits setting, mostly by ex-tending the surroundingstructure and putting thegrotto’s gaping entranceinto a properly scaled con-text. The plumbing was allin place; what we did nextwas prepare the steel andconcrete underpinnings forthe faux rock that wouldgive the structure its fullerdimensions.

‘jumping jewel’ area; the spa and its stream; and the fog and misting systems — aints as well as a spectrum of sounds from the delicate to the (almost) overwhelming.

linked to a weather station on the prop-erty: When lightning alerts are raised, thesound system issues a polite warning de-signed to chase everyone from the water.

The faux rockwork was made usingpreformed panels from Rock & WaterCreations (Fillmore, Calif.). Their pre-cast GFRC rock looks great, and theirstaff is always helpful. We used hundredsof different panels, cut and recombinedin a range of configurations throughoutthe pool and deck area. In all, there areapproximately 14,000 square feet of thisrockwork.

The rugged cragginess we establishedwas directly inspired by beautiful forma-tions found all over the ShenandoahValley. Even the misbegotten grotto,which originally threatened to becomean eyesore, now emerges in perfect scalefrom rockwork that surrounds the pooland that mirrors the look of many of theexposed outcroppings seen on hillsidesin the area.

Deck DetailsThe space isn’t all about climbing and

vigorous water play: There’s also 8,000square feet of stamped and hand-carvedconcrete decking around the pool. Thelook we were after is not easily achieved,and we are fortunate that our “ColoradoJoe” is a master artisan in concrete.

The stamping is in a natural patternwith complex scores and textures and wasdone using layers of colors made up withacid stains supplied by L.M. Scofield(Evergreen,Colo.). Again, local rock for-mations inspired the palette with the huesof blue and gray limestone accented byrust and mineral deposits. Our idea wasto blend the decking as seamlessly as pos-sible with the faux rockwork, the thoughtbeing to make it all look like parts of thesame formation.

The coloring and texturing process forthe deck involves several steps of color ap-plication along with grinding using a di-amond brush. It takes time,but we’re ableto mix tones and create a depth and rich-ness of color that looks extremely natur-al. We’re also able to create a texture that’scomfortable to walk on,yet slip-resistant.


Our use of faux rockwork gave us an ability to think about the grotto and surrounding structures in massive visual terms, but the lightweightnature of the material also let us plan in extremely flexible ways for voids, interesting spaces, pathways and compelling waterfalls. In all, weinstalled more than 14,000 square feet of faux rockwork on this project

41

Of all the steps in our process of installingfaux rockwork,coloring and texturing is themost creatively challenging,because it is ba-sically idiosyncratic to every job and the na-ture of the locale’s indigenous formations.There’s a lot of trial and error as we mix col-ors and add layers,and that can be trouble-some because of the effect a step of unpre-dictable length can have on scheduling.

We prefer to use penetrating acid stainsthat integrate with the surface of the con-crete and will not change dramaticallythrough the years as the surface is exposedto the elements and wear and tear. Thefinish will age slowly,of course,but it willalso retain its “natural” appearance. Wealso seal all of our decks and rockworkwith penetrating sealers and a final top-ical sealer that controls sheen and lendsdimension to the color.

The interior of the pool is finished inTahoe Blue Pebble Tec (Pebble Technology,Scottsdale,Ariz.) that harmonizes with therockwork and gives the water a deep,rich,highly reflective appearance. Its exposedaggregate harmonizes with the natural rocklook better than a typical pool plaster fin-ish, and it can come up out of the waterto provide beach entrances. At the water-line,there’s a deep-blue,matte-finished ce-ramic tile that picks up some very subtlerust deposits as part of the package.

The 2,000-square-foot pool house sitsnext to the pool and is built in the formof a log cabin – quite appropriate to thehistory of the Shenandoah Valley. Thebuilding includes televisions,a bar,videogames and, of course, changing rooms.

The equipment room is situated in thepool house’s basement. With the exception


The quantities of pipes and fittings used for thisproject put a severe strain on local suppliers inthis remote expanse of western Virginia – andalso challenged our creativity when it came tobringing everything together in the equipmentroom (actually the basement of the log-cabin-style pool house). Keeping exact track of whatwas what proved a minor challenge comparedto working out the geometries and sequencesof runs once they penetrated the basement’souter walls and actually had to reach variouspieces of equipment.

of the heaters,which were purchased by the own-er prior to our arrival, the equipment set consistsentirely of components made by Pentair PoolProducts (Sanford,N.C.).

The system features four Triton 140C filtersselected for durability and low maintenance andequipped with automatic backflow valves; 15WhisperFlo pumps chosen for their quiet oper-ation and compact size in the limited basementspace; 11 SAm and four SAl lights; and a daisy-chained set of Compool automated controllerswith remote controls, keypads and spa-side re-motes chosen for expandability as well as ease ofuse. There are also five photon generators ar-rayed around the site for the fiberoptic lights –and an array of valves too numerous to list.

The technical assistance the supplier offeredus in working on this complex,multifaceted sys-tem was critical to our success.

Tough GoingGiven the home’s remote location and the

project’s vast scope, logistics were a challengeright from the start. To make things work, wemoved crews into the area for four or fivemonths of six- or seven-day workweeks. Tomake the time as productive as possible,we hadto do a great deal of pre-production work, set-ting up relationships with local vendors to en-sure timely deliveries and in many cases mo-nopolizing supplies of such staples as schedule40 pipes and fittings.

Much to their credit, the homeowners pitchedin and helped in a variety of wonderful ways.They spent hours at the site most days, collab-orating with us on large and small decisions atevery step and helping in unexpected ways toenhance productivity.

As the project got under way, for example, wecouldn’t help noticing that lunch breaks took aninordinate amount of time because there weren’tany food establishments close by. Wanting to seethe project move forward at a rapid pace, thehomeowners set up a catering operation in thepool house at their own expense,both to keep theworkers on site and express their appreciation forthe extreme effort that went into the project.

That may seem a small thing, but on a pro-ject as big as this one, it was just the sort of careand involvement that led us to success.

Next time: A pictorial look at the completedproject.


The island is the most prominent addition we made to the pool itself and effectivelydivides the vessel into three parts for three sorts of activities. When finished, the islanditself will feature extensive faux rockwork, a waterfall (from the access bridge), fiberop-tic lighting, misters and a water cannon.


Heavy LoadsTo accomplish the level of visual integration described in the accompa-

nying article, the substructures for the rockwork included a variety of gen-tly graded berms and terracing walls that all gently flow with the contoursand planes of the rocky vertical structure that serves as the main visual back-drop for the pool.

Support for this immense amalgam of concrete and steel consists of 12-inch-thick poured-concrete walls and a series of large, spread footings.Because of the size of the rock structure and all of the concrete used to fillin behind the rock panels, there’s a tremendous amount of weight that ef-fectively cantilevers off the side of the swimming pool.

Even with the solid soil conditions, we were concerned about differentialsettlement, so we did what was needed to transfer all the surcharge to thesupport structure instead of the pool and then did all we could to make cer-

tain the whole setting was visually integrated. This we accomplished with scores of planting pockets amid the rock-

work. These integral planters are designed to encourage vines to climb overthe rocks for a natural ledge-type effect and foster growth of native weep-ing vegetation that will further soften edges and blend in with the rockwork.All of the planters include lighting and have irrigation systems as well.

The structure in a project as large as this becomes a piece of architectureto which the adage “form follows function” applies at every turn in settingup a space for play, recreation and relaxation. The challenge of achievingall of this, which I consider the multi-purpose ideal of aquatic design, is whatdraws me to these projects – part of a philosophical continuum that stretch-es back to Late Romantic pleasure gardens and to Roman baths before that.

– M.A.

Half closed, half open atop the grotto structure, the waterslide sweeps around thebackside before dropping down to the main pool. Breaking from a dark, en-closed space into the light of day is one of the many elements of surprise and con-stant visual discovery we brought to the entire project in our attempt to appeal tousers of all ages.


atershape construction is far moresophisticated now than at any timein history.

Swimming pools, for instance, arecommonly designed to include spas withcomplex jet manifolds and a wide vari-ety of controllable effects, while vanish-ing edges, perimeter-overflow details,multiple water levels and various water-in-transit designs are also increasing inpopularity.

Fountains and waterfalls and the fullrange of other waterfeatures also aremore elaborate, and what all of them re-quire are well-planned systems of valvesto control and divert water to all the nec-essary components, effects and details.These are situations in which valvechoice is, in fact, critical to hydraulic-system design.

The many types of valves can be sep-arated into three specific categories,roughly according to application. Thereare some that divert water, others thatisolate water and still others that prevent

flow reversal – and there are several choic-es within each category with a variety ofpotential plumbing connections (sock-ets, threads, unions, flanges and more),again depending upon the specifics ofthe application.

Diversion TacticLet’s begin our closer examination of

this range of possibilities with the mostbasic, common valve type – that is, thoseused to divert water from one plumb-ing run to another, as from a pool to aspa or from a pool to a waterfeature ofsome type.

Diverter valves are typically made withthree ports and have a valve body thatlooks like a “T.” One port serves as theinlet (usually the branch side of the tee);the other two are possible return pathsfor the water as it heads back, for exam-ple, to a pool or spa. The active part ofthe diverter rotates on an axis in the cen-tral portion of the valve body and canswing up to 180 degrees, thereby allow-

ing the user to send or pull water to bothdownstream ports or isolate one port ata time (Figure 1).

This valve type is extremely popularbecause it effectively replaces multiple iso-lation valves and makes plumbingschemes much simpler for the contrac-tor. This type of valve also can be auto-mated: Most of these valves have a spleenshaft that will accept common motoriz-ing systems, which opens them to use inautomating pool/spa combinations, wa-ter effects and in-floor cleaning systems.In addition, these valves serve to divertsuction-side flows to cleaners,main drainsand skimmers.

In IsolationA second common type of flow con-

trol is performed by isolation valves,whichcommonly are used in systems whereequipment sets are placed below the wa-ter line. These valves allow the flow of wa-ter to be shut down at key spots along theline and, as the name implies, isolate a

Valves are so common and integral apart of watershape construction thatit’s easy to take them for granted andnot think about exactly what eachspecific type is designed to do. Infact, observes hydraulics expert SteveGutai, the efficiency and serviceabil-ity of a great many installations couldbe improved if system designers andbuilders took fuller advantage of therange of valve choices and their char-acteristics – an information gap headdresses here.

ValveValues

By Steve Gutai

H y d r a u l i c F u n d a m e n t a l s

W

component and prevent water from flow-ing back to it (Figure 2).

This is a practical necessity in servicing asubgrade pump,filter or heater: Otherwise,the vessel would empty to the level of thepump every time a component was pulledoff the line.

The second common use for this valveis in adjusting or throttling water flow. Infountain-style waterfeatures, for instance,many times the flow will need to be ad-justed and throttled up or down to op-timize system performance. In this sortof application,choices are critical and thesystem designer or installer needs to se-lect among four distinct possibilities:w Ball valves: Ball valves offer simple

operation – basically a quarter turn thatstarts or cuts off the flow. Typically madeof CPVC or PVC (and a range of othermaterials), they all feature a ball with ahole through its center inside the valvebody. When the hole is aligned with theflow, water moves freely from the inletport to the outlet port. When the ball isrotated 90 degrees, the flow is cut off bythe ball’s solid wall. Partial flows resultwhen the ball isn’t turned fully one wayor the other.

This type of valve is used frequentlyto throttle flow or isolate flow to a spe-cific portion of a plumbing network. Inthe open position, the flow is straightthrough with minimal pressure drop as

its name from the wing-like action of theflow-controlling disc inside the valve body.This disc operates at a right angle to theflow of the water as it travels through thevalve and generally has about the samediameter as the connecting pipe, so it re-sults in limited pressure drop.

These valves,which also come in a widerange of sizes and materials of construc-tion (typically PVC and CPVC), can be


long as the porting through the ball isthe same size as the inside diameter ofthe pipe – which makes it helpful thatthese valves are available in just aboutany size. Because of the design of in-ternal portion of a ball valve, however,they aren’t particularly well suited to sys-tems that require true fine tuning, suchas laminar-flow jets.w Butterfly valves: The butterfly gets

Figure 1: Common diverter valves in single- and multi-port configurations.

Figure 2: Typical isolation valves in a range of materials of construction.

used either as on/off isolation valves or as flow-ad-justing/modulating devices. Generally, they are usedin manual applications, but many can be automat-ed. In addition, some manufacturers offer “swim-ming pool grade” valves designed for the range offlow rates, pipe sizes and water chemistries foundin pools and spas.

The most common application for these devicesis in isolating equipment on larger-sized plumbing– generally three-inch diameters and above. Theycan also be used for flow adjustment but, like ballvalves, aren’t particularly suited where fine flow tun-ing is required.w Gate valves: The gate valve is the most com-

mon member of the isolation-valve family. These de-vices are used in many of the same applications asball valves and have the advantage of wide and easyavailability from a variety of wholesale and retailsources, with the most obvious drawback being asomewhat higher cost.

As is the case with ball and butterfly valves, whengate valves are fully open, they allow the straight,undisturbed passage of water through an open-ing that is the same size as the inside diameter ofthe connecting pipe, so pressure drop is virtuallyeliminated.

Made of materials ranging from brass to PVC orCPVC, the valve operates when the handle or hand-wheel and stem screw move a cylindrical plug (thegate) up and down at a right angle to the water flow.Gate valves are primarily used for on/off isolation ser-vice and do not work as well at throttling flow as doball or butterfly valves.w Globe valves: Of the isolation valves discussed

here, the globe valve is the least used and understoodbasically because of the complex of things that hap-pen inside the valve body. As the water flows throughone of these devices, it follows a path with two near-90-degree changes in direction and operates whenthe handle or hand-wheel and stem move a plungerthat aligns parallel to the water flow.

These valves are available in a wide range of mate-rials from brass and polypropylene to PVC and CPVCand can be used to isolate components or throttleflow to any degree required, making them an excel-lent choice for fine flow adjustments. But the inter-


As watershaping projects have gotten more and morecomplex, the more important it has become for design-ers and contractors to be aware of the full range of valvesavailable to them – and to recognize, in an equipmentroom such as this one, that just about every valve typewill legitimately come into play.

nal configuration entails a large pressuredrop across the valve,so globe valves aren’tsuited to applications in which pressureloss is an issue. In addition, these valvescannot currently be automated.

Holding FastThe third main class of valves – check

valves – is used with watershapes main-ly to prevent the undesirable reversal offlow in a line. Take the suction side of apump, for example, where the pump israised in relation to the body of water orwhere there are multiple elevations of wa-ter (as with a raised spa) and you don’twant water to flow away from the pumpand cause a loss of prime when the sys-

tem is off: In these cases, a check valve isall that is needed. The same principle ap-plies with an air blower line,where a checkvalve will keep the water from flowingback into the blower.

Check valves are simple devices. Whenopen and under flow,the checking mech-anism moves freely and there will be lit-tle resistance and minimal pressure drop.When the flow of water stops, however,the checking mechanism closes and thewater is held in the pipe.

Check valves differ in design and con-figuration and are available in the usu-al wide range of materials (Figure 3),but the most common variety for wa-tershape applications is the swing type,which uses a swinging disc or gate thatcloses with a minimal amount of backpressure. Many of these valves have anadditional lever or spring to promotefaster and more secure seating. Theyalso come with different internal con-figurations, but their functional role isalways the same.

A Little Bit SavvyAs with all aspects of hydraulics, the

watershaper needs a good, basic under-standing of the three different valve typesand their applications and should care-fully consider options when laying outsystems.

As I mentioned at the start of this arti-cle, there’s often a best choice for an ap-plication that is overlooked because thedesigner or installer is stuck in somethingof a rut a

design • engineering • construction light number 9 volume 6 … · 2017. 4. 6. · by stephanie...

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