The purpose of this article is to give a general overview of the type of things to be considered when specifying or designing water amenities. In further issues LASN will be breaking down these various categories specifically, and breaking down the tasks into detail.

The following outline has been suggested as a tool to use in the design, application, construction, and operation of water features.

I. Conceptualization

This entails knowing what effect the builder, owner, or developer wants to convey with their water feature. The desired effect is a personal thing and every investor knows what image they want to put on. Research is a key factor. You must know what elements are possible in respect to placement, climate, and availability. You must also know your client and his or her historical preferences.

A. Footprint

This involves generating a plan of how the water amenities works in relation to everything else in the landscape and architectural plan. In this instance the footprint will determine the location and maximum, or minimum, size of the intended design.

B. Identification

You must identify whether the water feature is designed for view by pedestrians, vehicular traffic, building tenants, etc. If your water feature is incorporated into the site signage, it will be located at the site entrance area most advantageous to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. You must also take into consideration those areas where you do not want the feature to be seen, heard or legally obtrusive.

C. Location

This details where the amenity is in relation to the sun, shade, heavy winds, proximity of the building and view of pedestrians, tenants and owners. It also involves the anthropometrics of the feature. The ability to reach and maintain various parts of the feature as well as its access to human interaction are both anthropometric considerations.

II. Implementation

A. Simplification

Once you have decided what you want the water feature to do, it is important to work back and forth with the contractor, consultant and designer to find what the lowest functioning factors are in the design aspect. This is done to simplify the project and still come up with the desired effect. Often, the most effective and dramatic water feature is the most simple in water flow and cycle. If there are too many functions the project may begin to complicate itself to an intolerable level. Refining the mechanics and water cycle are a key to the successful water feature.

B. Maximizing the Effect

“Getting the most bounce for the buck.” It is not necessarily how much water comes out of the pump, but how long the water is kept in transit. In other words, less water over a larger suface can optimize the use of water. Efforts should be taken to keep the water involved with the feature for as long as possible maximizing the effect by keeping the water in transit.

1. Using a mock up

When using a mock-up of a given project the model should be built at full scale. Surface tension of water does not scale down. Material textures are also not accurately portrayed in a scaled down version. A prototype can effectively give a measurement to the physical characteristics of the water cycle if a section is built at full scale. For example, of a project calls for a two-tiered waterfall ten feet tall and eighty feet long, a mock-up could be built ten feet tall and ten feet wide which would accurately portray the physical characteristics of the water cycle.

2. Water Feature Examples

By far the easiest way to measure physical characteristics is by finding a similar water feature in pictures and onsite inspection. Factors such as wind spray and splash can be approximated by measuring that of existing water features.

C. Materials

A water feature is not a microcosm in itself but should be integrated as a part of the whole project. If the amenity is of the same texture as the building it can add to the overall concept. Purchasing costs can also be reduced by using materials incorporated in the building itself. The use of darker textures in a water amenity, mostly walls, reflects the natural colors of the water. Lighter textures will blend with the water.

1. Quantification

Quantification is basically a detailed list of materials of a given water feature, such as the hardware to be used, pumps, tubing, plumbing and construction materials. Specifying what materials will be needed early in the design phase can reduce costs if similar textures are used in construction through out the site.

It is your responsibility to be as accurate as possible. Budgets, client relations and your design all benefit from your accuracy.

This is an overview of the initial stages of designing water features. The following is an outline of this discussion. An upcoming issue of LASN will examine detailing, installation, operations and maintenance.

I. Conceptualization

A. Footprint
B. Identification
C. Location

11. Implementation

A. Simplification
B. Maximizing the Effect
     1. Using a Mock-up
     2. Waterfeature Examples

C. Materials
     1. Quantification
     2. Detailing

111. Installation

A. Final Design Phase
B. Overseeing Construction

IV. Operations and Maintenance

A. Designing for Proper Maintenance
B. Implementation of Maintenance Plans

(Special Thanks to Dick Chaix of CMS Consultants, Harry Beckwith of Lake Consultants and Construction, Doug Aurand, author of Fountains and Pools, Lee Phillips of Simrock, and the staff at Rock and Waterscape Systems for their contributions.)