Dreamscape in the City of Angels

By Leslie McGuire, managing editor

Three monumental waterfalls surge over a one-hundred-foot-long cliff, to cascade down into this 3,000 square foot, residential pool. The first falls from the raised outdoor spa located at the top of the cliff. The largest waterfall is centered over the main cave entrance, and the third falls to the left of the secondary dry cave entrance. Four smaller waterfalls are located on the upper portion of the cliff face, which is 35 feet above the surface of the pool.

This hilltop residence is situated on two acres, which include a tennis court, riding ring, stables, large parking area, sand volley ball court and the house—which is a ranch style house—that was completely redone at same time. The new plan required the addition of a massive rock wall with three large and four small waterfalls, a pool with an island, a water slide, a stream and Koi pond, plus the addition of a cave with two entrances—one dry and one wet—which lead into an underground grotto with pool, sauna, steam room, spa and bar area—all lit by gas wall torches.

A horizontal cut was made into the 20-foot vertical wall for the waterfalls thereby creating the grotto which is 100 feet wide. The roof in the grotto is approximately 12 feet high, with all rock ceilings, walls and floor. Inside the grotto, a water screen with a rear projection unit can project an image onto the water, making the inside pool a screen for video.

The plan created by Don Goldstone of Ultimate Water Creations required the pool to be 14 feet deep at the farthest end. The hillside that had to be dug out, which is adjacent to the pool, was approximately 20 feet high. Therefore they had to plan for an excavation of 20 feet plus another fourteen feet for the pool itself. All the planter pockets are irrigated and include drainage and lighting.

There had to be two stages of excavation. The first created a level pad for the pool area, and that excavation was 20 feet. The second stage dug the pool an additional 16 feet down to include the structural elements at the bottom. All the dirt was left on the property and then re-used to create the raised volley ball court. The court was approximately 12 feet above original grade.

The original plan prepared for the pool area.

For the grotto they dug horizontally into the 20 foot vertical wall for the waterfalls to create the various parts of the grotto. The other levels above the roof of the grotto became an entertainment area—one portion of which is a bandstand, spa and patio area above the level of the grotto. The other portion of the grotto became an area for a pool table, ping pong table and seating.

The tennis court has a set of steps leading down to the pool, which go right into the water. They also lead to the raised spa on the roof of the grotto area, which is one of two spas adjacent to the tennis court. That path, which runs along a stream circling the property, leads to an outdoor kitchen area, with stove, wok, icemaker, refrigerators and storage. A regular bar is near the fireplace, which is approximately 22 feet high and 25 feet wide. A regulation blackjack table with seven seats, along with a bar and bar stools—both in the pool—have custom granite tops.

The tennis court has a set of steps leading down to the pool, which go right into the water. A connecting path also leads to the raised spa on the roof of the grotto area, and an outdoor kitchen area, with stove, wok, icemaker, refrigerators and storage. At the pool edge, a bar and a regulation blackjack table with bar stools in the water—both have custom granite tops.

The retaining wall on the edge of the spa has two purposes—one to control any erosion on the slope, and also to prevent anyone so inclined from jumping out of the spa directly into the pool. There is an additional retaining wall on upper side. Plantings include natives such as ceanothus and pitisporum. There are streams recessed into the wall behind the patio that flow, and a waterfall which goes into a catch basin on the patio. The stream is directed around the seating area so it can flow back into the pool. That makes the upper patio into a little island with water below, above and to the left and right.

A custom wooden bridge goes to the patio island with a central open fire pit made of granite. The depth of the pool around the island is about four feet. There are three distinct pool depths: The shallow beach entry portion appears tan in color and ranges from zero to three feet; The second level, which appears as aqua, is a ledge approximately four and one half feet deep. The dark blue area is 14 feet deep.

A custom wooden bridge goes from the main bridge to the patio island that is equipped with a large pad and pillows with a central open fire pit made of granite. Water completely surrounds that island. The depth of the pool around island is about four feet. There are three distinct pool depths. Tan is the beach area with an actual beach entry of zero to three feet. The second level, which appears as aqua is a ledge approximately four and one half feet deep. The deep area of the pool is 14 feet.

Another bridge that goes to the front entrance is part of the driveway and goes to the front door of the house. A waterwheel that spills into the stream goes under the driveway and connects down into a large Koi pond. That pond connects to another via two 12-inch pipes so fish can swim back and forth from one to the other.

The hillside, which had to be excavated to create the pool and the waterfalls, was approximately 20 feet high. Therefore, the plan had to include an excavation of 20 feet plus another fourteen feet down for the pool. The caissons are for seismic stabilization. Although there is no such thing as being truly earthquake proof, the pool would probably be the safest place around. The roof of the grotto is over two feet thick and made of solid cement and steel, which is thicker than a freeway.

There are three waterfalls. One falls from the raised outdoor spa going straight into pool and the largest one is over the main cave entrance. Another one is to the left of the cave entrance, covering a secondary cave entrance which is a dry cave. On the roof of the cave there are another four waterfalls on the upper portion of the cliff face. The water slide is about 100 feet long, 35 feet high at highest point and it has a tunnel you can slide through.

Inside the main swim-in grotto a water screen which has a projector is also a rear projection screen. The unit is built into the rear wall and can project an image onto the water, thereby using it as the screen for video. When the screen comes on, the water fall shuts off automatically so watchers have a clear view from house or pool. The screen is 12 feet wide and 10 feet high.

The first stage of excavation created a level pad for the pool area. The second stage of the excavation went down an additional 16 feet to include the structural elements at the bottom of the pool. All the dirt was left on the property and then re-compacted to create the raised volleyball court. The court is approximately 12 feet above the original grade.

In the swim-in portion of the wet/dry cave there’s a spiral staircase, which goes up to the roof and then up to the water slide. It looks like an artificial tree with stairs going around a tree trunk. Leaves decorate the railing. The roof in the grotto is approximately 156 feet high, with all rock ceilings, walls and floor. In the swim-in portion there are two granite tables on pillars that you can place a drink on.

In the wet grotto there’s another poolside granite bar with five bar stools and a set of stairs and a table with a bench to sit on as well. The dry grotto is a combination of wet and dry, there is a dry bar with a serving counter, a spa with a waterfall as well and the entire grotto is lit by automated gas torches on all the walls which feature piped in gas. Push a button and they all come on. At one end of the grotto is one of two different pool equipment rooms which feature a double insulated door so no sound is heard anywhere from the motors.

The water slide (seen to the right of the main waterfall) is about 100 feet long and 35 feet high with a tunnel one can slide through. A security camera is hooked to a TV monitor at the top of the slide for safety since one can’t see the bottom of the slide from the top. Existing pines filled in with California peppers run along the back of the waterfalls.

The pool has a total of 45 lights between the waterfalls, the pool and the spas. These are LED colored lights that change simultaneously and provide 20 color choices. It is also possible to make the lights either change automatically or just remain on one color.

There are a total of 22 pumps, nine are 5 HP pumps which push 300 gallons per minute, four are much bigger. There are four high efficiency heaters, four filters and an ozone purification system that uses no chlorine. The owner didn’t want any chemical smell or taste in the water. Ozone is a natural purification and by putting enough ozone into the water, it creates an algaecide and a bacteriacide, and therefore drinkable pool water. Plumbing for the pool and pipes that go up for the waterfall all have the equivalent of 20 pools worth of PVC piping.

The spiral staircase inside the grotto looks like an artificial tree with steps winding around a tree trunk. It goes up to roof patio and the water slide. Bronze leaves decorate the staircase railing for an underground cave-like effect.

The entire property also features misting throughout, including on the tennis court and stables. In both the landscaped areas and the pool areas a fog and mist system has been installed so when it’s very hot, you get misted, however, it is also there for just looks and mood alone.

Throughout the whole property they added artificial rock outcroppings to the rest of the hillsides making them blend in with the whole. The coordination of getting pipes and jets and nozzles invisible required intricate landscaping to camouflage the plumbing and the wiring. A planting palette, created with the input of All About Landscape, filled in the hidden spaces with shades of green, using very few annuals. In the shaded areas leather fern, mother fern and dicksonia combine with potato vine and lavender trumpet vine. Screening plants include prunus Carolina.

The retaining wall on the edge of this spa has two purposes—one to control any erosion on the slope, and also to prevent anyone so inclined from jumping directly into the pool. There is an additional retaining wall on the upper side. Plantings include natives such as ceanothus and pitisporum.

Since everything is lit, miles of conduit and wires that had to be camouflaged for the various plugs, switches, audio, plus the 20 speakers installed in the pool area and cave had to be camouflaged with rock work. The audio system works with TV sets and the projection water screen. There’s also a security system with cameras which are camouflaged with rock work. One of those cameras is hooked to a TV monitor at the top of the slide so you can see whether it’s clear at the bottom for safety since you can’t see the bottom of the slide from the top.

Fourteen gas heaters have been installed throughout the property so it can be used night or day or even in inclement weather. Those are camouflaged within the rock work and decking areas. There are five fire pits embedded in various spots to create heat. One is at the patio at the top of the slide, one is inside the grotto, another located in the island, and a fourth over near the fireplace. Yet another is at the upper spa on the roof near the tennis court.

Plantings around the stream that circles the entire property include natives plus several varieties of Mexican sage, as well as heliocrysum and lyriope with fountain grass and lavender. Begonias were added for accent color.

In order to meter the gas, a commercial meter was installed just to supply enough to run the pool heaters as well as the other heating elements throughout the property. They use a total three million BTUs per month. Between electric, gas and water bills the amount of money required to power the property must be staggering.

In order to stabilize this entire property 50-foot caissons were embedded for seismic strength. Although there is no such thing as being truly earthquake proof, the pool would probably be the safest thing around. The roof of the grotto is solid cement and steel over two feet thick, which is thicker than a freeway.

A bridge that crosses the stream encircling the property is part of the driveway and goes to the front door of the house. A waterwheel that spills into the stream goes under the bridge and connects down into a large Koi pond. That pond connects to another via two 12-inch pipes so fish can swim back and forth from one to the other.

This may very well be the largest residential project ever created. People can afford anything they want, but thinking up a landscape as large and unique as this one requires a very large and unique imagination. The average imagination probably couldn’t come up with anything even close to this.

A planting palette of shades of green used very few annuals. In shaded areas leather fern, mother fern and dicksonia combine with potato vine and lavender trumpet vine. Screening plants include prunus Carolina. Throughout the whole property artificial rock outcroppings decorate the rest of the hillside to make it blend in.