Rosetta Retaining Blocks Transform Cliff Into Pool Lagoon & Play Area

THE CHALLENGE

When the owners of this Vancouver-area home were ready to start designing their new backyard, they had some unique challenges. They wanted to create an area for their children and grandchildren to play together. They also wanted to create a space for themselves to relax and lounge.

"What were the design challenges? There were lots," explained designer and installer Tim Valerioti, owner of Hampton Pools & Landscape. "It's a small back yard that is basically one solid rock, and there's a sheer cliff at the end of the property. The design needed to comply with subdivision guidelines and the neighbor view line right-of-ways. We also needed to take privacy and safety into consideration, plus the aesthetics. It was a challenge."

THE SOLUTION

As the owner of a pool and landscape design business, Valerioti is very familiar with the hardscape options on the market today. For this site, he recommended Rosetta as the best solution "to achieve the natural rock look they wanted but with the added engineering capabilities the stone provided," Valerioti explained. The project included several Rosetta products, including:

• The Outcropping Collection: Valerioti used the Outcropping Collection to create an aesthetic, natural area for the slide to descend into the pool, as well as walls surrounding the pool. The Outcropping Collection features multiple unique block sizes and textures-giving walls the look and feel of natural stone with the structural design of architectural-grade precast concrete. Outcropping Collection blocks range in size from 24 (61 centimeters) inches to 72 inches (1.83 meters) wide and from 6 inches (15.24 centimeters) to 24 inches (61 centimeters) tall. The Outcropping Collection is also available in a Freestanding version with texture on both sides for building above-grade walls, which was also used on this project.

• The Belvedere Collection: Belvedere was used to build a retaining wall behind the hot tub, as well as to build accent and garden walls throughout the project. These walls were topped with coordinating Rosetta caps. The Belvedere Collection is a hand-set line of wall products that features six block sizes with 64 unique stone textures.

• The Step Collection: The design called for Rosetta Irregular Steps to provide access down into the pool. The Dimensional Step Collection was used to build a staircase leading to the top of the waterslide. Both Rosetta Step Collections have a natural stone texture that mimics the look of quarried stone steps. The difference is that Rosetta steps have consistent dimensions-making them easier to install and easier to walk on. "For installation, the primary challenge was the very tight space we had to work with," Valerioti explained. "Once the main pool was in and the Rosetta work began, we had very, very little space to work with machines. We actually had to drive the equipment under the house's upper deck to get stone from one side of the property to the other. Then working around a very tall and long slide so close to a finished concrete pool and a cliff on the other side was a huge challenge."

THE OUTCOME

While Rosetta products are commonly used to build retaining walls, custom applications like this are a great example of the flexibility of the system. "The project outlines a creative, sculptural use for Belvedere and Outcropping. It demonstrates the creativity that can be achieved with the product apart from standard retaining wall applications. The contractor [Hampton Pools] is a visionary," said Brian Nemez, Business Development Manager for the local Rosetta manufacturer, Barkman Concrete Products.

What do the owners think of the completed project? "They are very happy," Valerioti said. "They enjoy it quite a bit during the summer. They were amazed with what was produced from my original design, and how it all came together. They get lots of compliments from friends and the neighbors." What hardscape challenge could Rosetta help you solve?

PROJECT DETAILS

Project Name: Predator Ridge Residence Block Manufacturer: Barkman Concrete, Ltd. Wall Installer: Hampton Pools & Landscape Design: Hampton Pools & Landscape Project Location: Vernon, British Columbia Year Completed: 2013 Case: 003 - Barkman - Vancouver