Have your decorative glass sales all dried up? Don’t forget to pay attention to water features when looking at your next set of construction documents or visiting architects and interior designers.
Water Studio designs and builds contemporary water features, fountains, and fire features for commercial, residential, and public spaces. The Culver City, Calif., business has an impressive portfolio of custom water features.
The Bath Club in Miami
The Bath Club located in Miami is an 11-feet wide by 18-feet tall 6-panel frosted, Azurlite glass stainless steel curtainwall water feature. Water falls down the glass panels and disappears into a concealed stainless steel basin covered with crushed glass pebbles.
Another striking corporate installation is the 5-feet wide by 9-feet tall,
Pillsbury Winthrop
low-iron glass with an etched logo that was created for Pillsbury Winthrop in Los Angeles.
One of my favorite installations is Javier’s Cantina in Newport Beach, Calif. The feature measures approximately 5-feet wide by 10 ½-feet tall and is composed of glass bottles of various colors with a copper and bronze patina backdrop and basin. In addition to the glass bottle water feature, the restaurant boasts numerous glass bottle windows custom designed, fabricated and installed by Water Studio. Okay, okay, calm down! I know that decorative flat glass is not used in this
Javier's Cantina
project, but I really like the creativity of this one.
Water Studio’s principal, Sean So, has been designing contemporary water and fire features for more than 18 years. His passion and dedication has realized numerous accolades from a growing list of prominent clients throughout the world. After graduating with a degree in fine art and industrial design, Sean began his career closely studying and collaborating with the late, renowned artist, Eric Orr, who was considered by many to be a pioneering member of the California art movement known as Light and Space.
Sean agreed to answer a few questions about his history and designing with decorative glass.
What was your first water feature design using decorative glass?
My first glass water feature was approximately 18 years ago for a small residential project in Los Angeles. It was an early form of a framed glass water wall with water falling down one side of frosted glass.
What benefits are there to using decorative glass in a water sculpture?
We use both regular and cast glass for our water features. Glass surfaces allow water to fall down a vertical surface without splashing. If the glass is clear or translucent, cascading water textures on the surface can be seen from both sides and allows beautiful interaction with light (both natural and artificial). Since glass is structural and non-corrosive, it is also an ideal material to be used as a canvas for water features and water walls of any size.
What is the best way for a decorative glass dealer to reach out to water sculpture designers? Are there local, regional, or national organizations they can contact?
Since there are no official organizations for water feature and fountain designers, we recommend that they send information directly to the handful of established firms in this industry. We also work with many architects and interior designers when designing water features, so it might also be worthwhile to inform them about their products and services.
Good advice. Be aware of opportunities in other areas of construction. Providing decorative glass for water features and fountains can keep sales flowing!
