Public Spaces and Visitor Experiences

Total Habitat can help you create an experience that will wow your visitors, elevating your space and encouraging continued patronage. Our stunning water features provide crystal clear water, giving you a ready-made back drop for events, photo-ops and countless social media shares! We can provide your guests with a beautiful, authentically natural experience, including crystal-clear ponds, waterfalls, streams, fountains and public Natural Swimming Pool/Ponds. We are available for design, construction and consultation services. Contact us today to get started!

Kay McFarland Japanese Garden (Topeka, KS)

Created in honor of Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Kay McFarland, the Japanese garden at the Topeka Zoo features multiple waterfalls, pools and streams that all flow down into an 8,400 SQFT Koi Pond. Working in collaboration with GLMV Architecture and Japanese Garden Master Koji Morimoto, Total Habitat designed and constructed all of the water features that run through the garden as well as the Koi Pond. The space includes many traditional Japanese garden elements including a tea house, a Moon Bridge, several rock islands, a standing boulder "Mountain" and a zig-zag bridge. As with all of our Natural Swimming Pools, this water feature was created using our built-in biological filtration system which will provide the Koi Pond and streams with crystal-clear water for many years to come! The Kay McFarland Japanese Garden is open to the public as of August 2020 and is one of the very few truly authentic Japanese gardens of this scale in the United States. Plan your visit today: https://topekazoo.org/kaysgarden/​
Above: Views of the Koi Pond, including the lotus bog, grand waterfall and the Moon Bridge, as well as the Crane and Turtle Islands which represent longevity in Japanese mythology. The Gallery building overlooking the Koi Pond makes for a spectacular event venue with stunning views of the garden.
Left: The Crane Tea House overlooking the Tea House Pool. Right: One of the many waterfalls in the garden and part of the granite boulder stream that winds its way throughout the space.
Top Left: A view of the Teahouse Pool and "Mountain" waterfall. Bottom Left: The "Mountain" waterfall origin pool, made of several carefully placed vertical granite boulders. Right: A view of the Zig-Zag Bridge, also known as the Ginko Yatsu Hashi Bridge or Eight Plank Bridge, which tells the story of an exiled nobleman's journey back to his true love.

WaterWalk Commons (Wichita, KS)

In 2011-2012, Total Habitat designed and built a series of self-cleaning ponds, streams, and waterfalls for the WaterWalk Commons in downtown Wichita, Kansas. This sprawling, mixed-use outdoor space spans nearly two city blocks, leading visitors along a winding path through naturalistic water features, resplendent with fish and lush water plants. Using the same principles we developed for our Natural Swimming Pools, the ponds and streams at this site are cleaned using built-in biological filters (and no chemicals). As a result, the water is crystal clear and teeming with fish, plants, and other living things. 

See more at: www.WichitaWaterWalk.com
Above: Model of the ponds and visitor pathways at the Water Walk Commons 
Above: Satellite image of the finished project

Camp Prairie Schooner: Aquatic Center (Kansas City, MO)

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For the Girl Scouts of NE Kansas and NW Missouri's new Aquatic Center at Camp Prairie Schooner, our goal was to create a challenging, unique experience for the campers. The main attraction, a massive themed concrete boulder with a hand-carved climb-able face, allows users to free-climb the naturalistic boulder then plunge down into the water from a safe yet thrilling height. The project also features a splash pad and several "sunning" boulders along the pool edge.
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 The Aquatics Center at Camp Prairie Schooner was designed and built in collaboration with Centric Projects, Helix, Olsson Associates, Tom Neppl Design, Water's Edge, and Vireo ​​

Wichita Botanica: Chinese Garden of Friendship (Wichita, KS)

The intent of this project was to create a traditional, Scholar-Type Chinese garden in the heart of Wichita, Kansas. Visitors stroll along winding, contemplative paths through the garden which centers around a 130ft long gentle stream, a 30ft x 40ft crystal-clear pond and a stunning holey boulder waterfall! Using the same water filtration system we developed for our Natural Swimming Pool/Ponds, the water features in this garden are stunningly clear and clean, inspiring regular family outings, and making this space a popular spot for weddings, lectures and corporate events! See more at: www.WichitaBotanica.org

Tyron Farms: Swimming Pond (Michigan City, IN)

In addition to our Turn-Key design and build service, we also are available for consultations and collaborations! In 2014, we helped with the design and construction of the Natural Swimming Pool/Pond at Tyron Farm in conjunction with BBA Architects, Edward Noonan and Associates, and the Tyron Farm Architect and Developer. This chemical-free swimming pond features our built-in biological filtration system, providing the residents and visitors to Tyron Farm with a crystal-clear, clean, all-natural swimming experience! Contact us today for residential and public water features including decorative ponds, waterfalls and Natural Swimming Pool/Ponds (NSP's)! See more at: www.TyronFarms.com

ABQ BUGarium: Waterfall & Living Wall (Albuquerque, NM)

Total Habitat designed and built this 18ft tall artificial rock wall, complete with a waterfall, collection pool and live plant pockets as part of an indoor exhibit space at the BioPark in Albuquerque. The naturalism of the rock wall and plants contrasts nicely with the clean, modern lines of the buildings interior, while the waterfall provides soothing water sounds to the exhibit's visitors. 

Splash Pads and Water Play

Water play is a excellent addition to any public space or visitor experience. A splash pad or interactive fountain will cool off your guests, provide beautiful photo-ops and give kids (and kids at heart) a fun way to play and connect with others; which equals lasting memories and continued patronage! Our splash pads can be automated to spray in a timed sequence or at random -- creating even more excitement for guests -- and can be made in just about any shape or style desired! We can help you with design, construction and consultation services including the splash pad itself as well as its specialty plumbing and water filtration system.