Creating a mountainside escape
According to the specific design of this project, the client’s desire was to have a mountainside lake-style swim pond. This required the need to bring in large-scale rocks, and a great deal of gravel and concrete to form a bed in which to set every single rock safely and permanently, not only to avoid damaging the liner from a sharp-edged rock during the construction process, but also for the safety of bathers. Therefore, it was important that no rocks would shift during the life of the product.
Given the magnitude and weight of the rocks, this required teams of at least two people to set them in place with the help of an excavator or crane operator. Often the rock work can be quite artistic, almost like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle or mosaic; however, not every NSP required the amount of effort and material as did this project. As previously mentioned, each design is unique to the needs and wants of the client for every type of budget in mind; the project presented herein was by far one of the most complex in terms of its design and construction.
While one team worked on the membrane, another team installed a 6.1-m (20-ft) shipping container onto the property, which would eventually be the outdoor kitchen and storage area. It also worked well in creating an attached pergola for the site of a barbecue and patio for a unique entertainment area. The sides of the container were covered by rock and vegetation; a green roof was also built to create a rustic and natural environment. The patio and path were built with flagstone to give the whole area a congruent look, integrating them with the pond to create a unique landscape.
The underwater cave
The underwater cave connected to the waterfall was one of the more challenging tasks in this project. On top of the poured concrete slab (mentioned earlier), extra-thick protection felt and 152-mm (6-in.) concrete padding was installed to build the base for 12 rocks, each ranging between 1800 and 9000 kg (4000 and 20,000 lbs). One particular granite-rock feature had dimensions of approximately 1.8 x 2.1 x 0.7 m (6 x 7 x 2.5 ft) and weighed in at a whopping 8845 kg (19500 lbs)—by far the heaviest rock in the pond.
After finishing the filtration pond and the swim zone with an underwater cave, time was spent on some of the project’s additional points of interest. These included two feature waterfalls between the filtration zone and the swim zone, and a creek behind a small island, which was created with an access bridge and a large entertainment deck. This deck has a lower swimming platform to serve as the main social gathering point and provides a stunning view of the waterfall and underwater cave.
Leisure areas
On the opposite side, a dock was constructed beside the sand bunker, which serves as yet another recreational area where the client can work on their short game, while overlooking the entire swim zone. The putting green and sand bunker is a great feature for any backyard party and the artificial turf can double as a place for sunbathing. Here, artificial turf is a great alternative to traditional grass because not only is it a low-maintenance feature for the homeowner, but there is also no risk to having grass clippings fly into the pond. Grass clippings would create an additional source of nutrients for algae growth.
What is a gold rush cabin without a mining cart?
Another backyard feature complementing the project’s overall theme was the installation of an authentic mining cart, complete with an engine on train tracks, which really sets the tone for this rustic gold rush project. Strategically positioned between the road and the barbecue patio, it also serves as a great sound and visual barrier to life outside the property, thus providing the homeowner complete privacy.
Also installed was a 5443-kg (12000-lbs) bubble rock in the centre of the filtration pond to not only provide water movement, which is vital to keeping algae at bay, but also to provide a pleasing audible sound to those enjoying outdoor life next to the pond. Nothing is more relaxing than enjoying the sun, sipping a fresh cool beverage and taking in the sound of babbling water lapping nearby. The final touches included finishing the edges of the pond with various-sized rocks and river rock gravel to harmoniously mimic Mother Nature’s designs.
