Modern art: creative ways to add warmth to contemporary design - Aqua Scapes

Pool & Spa News, Feb 27, 2004 by Rebecca Robledo

Michael Glassman & Associates Sacramento, Calif.

Pool built by Empire Construction, Davis, Calif,

For simplicity, the designer wanted a monolithic aquascape. The concrete cube veneered in travertine marble provides an aesthetically pleasing handhold, which also acts as a stabilizing feature in case the homeowner needs to steady herself. Graceful, sweeping plants add nature to the scene, yet still complement the pool's long lines. The six-sided black basalt monolith, which can be seen at the end of the pool, is cut to provide different water effects on each side.

Contemporary flair: Monolithic deck and planters, a concrete cube next to the steps, black stone sculpture.

The humanizing touch: Softening touches include pillowed edges on deck tiles, fish mosaics at the pool's tile line and patterned patio furniture. Tan plaster warms the water's color. The sculpture is cut for multiple textures.

In the designer's words: "Instead of structured plants, the ones here are a lot more wispy and relaxed," says landscape designer Michael Glassman. "By using flowing plants, it softens the look."

Garden Aesthetics Hillsboro, Ore.

In contemporary design, the space defines its own terms. The water element may not seem to come from nature, but it should look like a natural extension of its surroundings. Linda Engstrom, APLD, and the company president, used this stone wall waterfeature as a boundary between the patio and planted slope that falls down to the street.

Contemporary flair: Simple wall, rectangular pool with light blue water, concrete paver decking.

The humanizing touch: Placement with the home's lines give it context. Stone on the vertical wall contrasts the natural with man-made pavers.

In the designer's words: "Contemporary waterfeatures work successfully when they are placed in a direct relationship with the lines of the house," Engstrom says. "They should feel as if they are an extension of the architecture [or] they will appear as a disconnected element"

What is contemporary design?

The term "contemporary" is a broad concept. To some, the most literal meaning would include any rejection of styles dating before the 20th century. Here, some designers share their takes on the genre:

* "They're geometric pools, as opposed to curvy, free-form and natural. Each can have a different treatment, but they all have pretty straight lines--they're clean and sleek. Then it's just a matter of the materials and articulation of edges and how you introduce water into the pool that makes them different."--Dave Roche, landscape architect, Jack Chandler & Associates, Yountville, Calif.

* "I like the cleanliness of it. It's very serene. If it's done well, it's logical, ordered and quiet. And you're not looking at just the straightoff-the-rack historical reference. Some hardcore architects who want to further their profession [believe that] historical design is empty, historical mumbo-jumbo. Tudor houses were a product of the Tudor Age, and that's where they should stay. Now they're just a placebo to make us feel good."--Gregory Lombardi, president, Gregory Lombardi Design Inc., Cambridge, Mass.