Feature: Water Works
July 1, 2005
LOTHAR EHRICH, EHRICH & EHRICH
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
New Jersey landscape architecture firm Ehrich & Ehrich was founded more than
30 years ago by brothers Herbert Ehrich Jr. and Lothar Ehrich. The two German
émigrés started the the idea that they could take their old-world knowledge of
craftsmanship and apply it to the discerning American luxury home market. Known
for their exquisite waterscapes, often designed for New Jersey’s largest private
estates, the brothers recently received an award from the Northeast Spa &
Pool Association for best residential water feature in the world.
What makes Ehrich & Ehrich stand out from other companies?
I visit the
old country as much as I can to collect architectural antiques and use them in
our designs. Our customers like substance in their lives, and old things give
them a sense of belonging. I collect things that I love and pass them along to
our customers. I have had a gargoyle in my holding yard for 15 years.
Ehrich & Ehrich created a marble elliptical staircase, topped
with a Pegasus, to divide a pond and a swimming pool for a home in New Jersey; the
structure was inspired by a gateway in France. (Click images to enlarge); function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
Describe some recent projects.
We built an elliptical water staircase–on one
side, water dumps into the pool, and on the other, into a pond. The piece is
crowned with a hand-carved Pegasus. We also just created a piece of stonework in
the exact likeness of the customer’s Siberian husky, which sits beside a water
feature.
What is the key to your success?
The key thing is the people you hire. You
have to cover your bases. You need a backup plan.
What are some recent trends?
People are asking for the over-the-top. We’re
creating a game fish pond for one of our clients. We work with a biologist to
tell us what kind of game fish to use, what size pond. Game fish ponds are
typically three-quarters to one acre in size and 9 feet deep, and stocked
with a spectrum of game fish, from stripers to largemouth bass.
Ehrich & Ehrich Landscape Architects
732.329.3888
www.ehrichandehrich.com
ED GIBBS, GIB-SAN POOL AND LANDSCAPE CREATIONS
Gib-San has differentiated itself from other landscape design companies by
garnering an ISO 9001 rating–a system developed to maintain quality control for
manufacturers. This achievement, normally bestowed on companies like Coca-Cola
and IBM, is unprecedented in the water-feature design industry. The Ontario,
Canada, company is known for creating pioneering water features for luxury homes
around the world–pools, ponds and fountains that borrow from nature and work
with the existing terrain.
What is your design credo?
We make sure that [our features] are pleasing to
the eye, that the sight lines are correct and that the noise produced by the
water is sufficient to drum out ambient noise or complement the space.
What have your clients been asking for recently?
The use of natural rock is a
big trend. Also, customers are looking for true craftsmanship. Within the last
three or four years, adding a simple water feature onto the property has been
popular. I believe the reason is partly the resorts. The large resorts always
have some form of water structure. Water is about life. It has a soothing mental
effect. The Japanese understand this–from koi ponds to a faint trickle of water.
People are more savvy because of the Internet and are asking how they can have a
little bit of that natural park look in their own backyard.
What are some of your standout projects?
We
recently created a feature in an
urban residence that looked like a
northern Ontario forest stream. We have
carved an entire pond out of
rock on an island in the middle of Georgian Bay.
Most of our
residential water features are attached to a pool. We also do lots
of
large features that are in the entryways to large estates.; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
Designer Ed Gibbs and team carved a freshwater pond out of the
granite of the Canadian Shield for a home on the Georgian Bay in Ontario. They
dammed each end and built a cedar walkway. (Click image to enlarge)
Gib-San Pool and Landscape Creations
416.749.4361
www.gibsanpools.com
advertisement
