An Urban Oasis.
Embodying serenity and reflection, Reflecting Pools and Water Gardens are designed to put us at ease. They are often used to create a feeling of being in nature, or offer new perspectives on the natural and social world around us. Multi-residential developments, commercial centres, and university campuses often feature reflecting pools and water gardens in courtyards or other common outdoor areas, promoting quiet focus or relaxation.
Reflecting pools are re-imaginings of the customary pond, typically using dark shades to boost the reflective qualities of water and highlight the surrounding environment. Undisturbed by spray or splash, these projects encourage internal reflection, while providing their audience with a renewed perspective of the world around them. When plant life is incorporated into a water feature’s design, the result is a water garden (or a koi pond, if fish are added as well.) A thoughtful blend of water and greenery creates the sense of being in an urban oasis, where the office or city bustle fades away.
While water in these features is not as kinetic as in a fountain or cascade, it reacts and changes with the whims of its environment — surface rippling from wind, rain, falling leaves, or a curious hand. When designing these features, we often consider philosophical design principles like Feng Shui to foster architectural flow and personal enjoyment, as well as the significance of water for culturally-specific projects.
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