PID: WFP23-01
Waterfall Fireplace
In the winter of 2022 our team was contacted by a local homeowner with a request to design and build a fireplace for a backyard living space.
After consulting with the home owner, a modern industrial design language was established and working with our partner company, Oakfire Outdoor, we set to work on building a one of a kind fireplace and lounge for the client.
Quinton Casburn
Simplicity & Function was the vision for the project from the very beginning. The client's home was built in 2019 and was a clean slate for our team to build an outdoor living space like no other. Our client's request for a fireplace quickly evolved into a project that encompassed the entire back yard after communicating our vision with the client.
I was in charge of designing the fireplace and all associated mechanics, lighting, and materials. Being that the project had to adhere to the existing visual language of the home, materials, shapes, and textures were selected to best compliment the home's design. Slate, teak, limestone, granite, and stainless steel were chosen for their cohesion with existing elements and their premium and long lasting qualities.
During the conceptual phase of the project, I began considering the viability of usable time for the fireplace. While Texas does experience harsh winters, its summer is even harsher, with scorching temperatures and dry air, these conditions would render the fireplace unusable for the majority of the year.
With the weather considered we began working on the concept of a "year-round fireplace" one which was pleasant in the winter and refreshing in the summer.
The solution of incorporating a waterfall into the fireplace was rather self-evident however I was concerned about the viability of such an object as heat would prove to be a difficult element working against our water concept.
In addition to paying mind to the summertime usability of the feature, I was also concerned about the wintertime performance. Most fireplaces are in essence "a hole in the wall with a flame" and have a limited reach past their border. Knowing that the feature would be installed in a social space it was imperative to increase the efficiency of the fireplace and push more heat into the occupied space without changing the principal characteristics of the fireplace.
I achieved this by including a parabolic curve in the back stainless-steel wall of the fireplace which forced a large percentage of infrared radiation out of the front of the feature and into the seating space.
With experience in photography and videography, I understand the importance of good light, and a dark fireplace with water in it isn't going to hold a candle to the inviting glow of a lone standing flame. Electric lighting was needed to truly make the feature inviting year-round but the now intensified thermals of the fireplace would become an obstacle for modern lighting technology.
I found a solution in more traditional lighting options, specifically oven lights from GE. These simple incandescent lights were rated for temperatures well over the fireplaces calculated output and were built for sheet metal snap in sockets which worked perfect for the sheet metal construction of the firebox.
Renders are an important and early part of my workflow. After settling on the technical elements of the design I began working on the CAD models and translating those models into 3D renders to be presented to the client.
This project's build deck was completed in a week including general concepts, renders, materials and furniture selection. In this time, I had also produced a 3D printed model of the fireplace that was used to discuss the elements of the design and to show the mechanics of the fireplace to our fabricator.
Renders & Completed Build
After receiving client approval, I began the process of engineering the fireplace and its associated elements. I created detailed CAD models and comprehensive blueprints for our fabricators. Some elements of this project were made from precise waterjet cut parts that were welded with precision and other elements were made by hand by the skilled craftsman at Oakfire Outdoor.
I participated in managing the construction and installation of the Waterfall Fireplace, performing in-field corrections and modifications to the design as needed. We completed the project just after Christmas and moved on to the next phase of the project being the back fence of the property.
The back of our client's lot was lined by a wood fence and sat on a bare patch of ground. Looking from the home's Livingroom out into the lawn was underwhelming during the day and especially at night as the entire property would fade to an inky black which wasn’t very appealing. Our team proposed that we build a light feature to highlight the fence at the back of the property and to give the lawn a warm frame.
Invisipole
Oakfire was in charge of landscaping and planned to place trees along the back fence, this turned out to be a beautiful addition to the back yard and we decided to highlight the installation with a custom lighting solution for the unique space.
Using 3" square tubing that was welded at 90° and installing two low voltage hooded tree lights we produced a lamp pole design that concealed the light source from the viewer while giving its subject a beautiful warm front light.
After completing the installation, our client requested a seating area be added along the back fence.
We quickly adapted the installed light features to accommodate string lighting for a simple and relaxing seating area for the client and their guests to sit.
7 Project is an example of some of the best work I've done with the support of an amazing team of coworkers and contractors.
The spirit of design lives in this project and there was no shortage of effort and attention to detail during all stages of its realization. Our client has stated that they couldn't be happier with the results, and neither could I.
Moving forward in my career I aim to see more projects like this and hopefully of larger scale.
