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End of the Endless Summer

The lives of beach bums, surfer girls and hodads everywhere have become less comfortable in recent years, observes Eric Herman. In fact, the summer of 2023 might stand as the most ...

Powerful Presence

From its perch atop a tiered fountain, a massive black cat prowls the entrance to the sports arena like a warrior mascot. Emblematic of both High Point University’s ...

Essential Connections

While our innate need to be in the presence of water, and have constant access to it is both philosophical and biological, Kevin Woodhurst argues it is also practical from a ...

Fine Points: Pipes in Trenches

In this first installment of our new series exploring the “fine points” of watershape construction, Kevin Cobabe gets down to basics about running multiple pipes in ...

Essential Construction Live and In-Person

While the convenience and flexibility of online courses has huge advantages for people looking to advance their pool- construction knowledge, at Watershape University we also know ...

Pool Algae Prevention

Algae are a class of organisms that are essential to life on earth. In a swimming pool, however, they become an affliction that compromises water quality and consumes chemicals. ...

The Fairmount Water Works is a monument to the history of water treatment in the United States, says Ed Grusheski, manager of public affairs for the Philadelphia Water Department. Established in 1815, the facility pumped water from the Schuylkill River until 1909 and has recently been restored and transformed into an interpretive center to educate the public on pollution prevention, watershed management and the history of the Water Department. (Lithograph by Currier and Ives, ca. 1860. Courtesy Philadelphia Water Department)

Historic Treatments

Local historians claim that the image of Philadelphia's Fairmount Water Works was the most reproduced of any industrial site in the United States through the first half of the 19th ...

With its elegant structures, extensive sculpture gardens, beautiful watershapes and exquisitely maintained grounds, this 12-1/2-acre estate in Highland Park, Ill., is the product of two decades of ongoing design work by architects and environmental designers Suzanne and Ron Dirsmith. Among the many works of art and perfectly scaled amenities placed on the property, the project’s pool and spa create spectacular spaces for relaxation or exercise.

A Place for All Seasons

Water can be a central feature of any design, but in many cases it is just one element among many of equal (if not greater) importance. In the case of the project pictured here, ...

Locked in the middle of walls and floors in everything from tiny fountains to gigantic commercial swimming complexes, a proper cage made up of steel reinforcing bars is the hidden strength that allows a concrete vessel to hold its form, come what may. Here, veteran steel contractor Larry Long takes a look at this key shell-shaping material, explaining what it takes to set up structures that will last a lifetime – and beyond.

Bent to Last

Watershapes come in lots of configurations and sizes, but when you get right down to it, they mostly share two basic materials of construction - concrete and steel - that in ...

Forever Bamboo Synthesizes Mexican Umbrellas

Forever Bamboo’s Viroumbrella synthetic Mexican rain cape is a cost effective and eco-friendly alternative to natural thatch umbrella covers, the company says. Each ...

Bradford Makes the 770 Stainless Steel Hot Tub

Bradford offers a modern hot tub with open concept seating, stainless steel performance, and seating for four to six adults. Part of the companies line of signature spas, the 770 ...

Poolside by CGT offers ‘Butterfly Effect’ Pool Liner

Poolside by CGT offers a stone mosaic liner design with sparkling color to make pool water shimmer. Created to help pool professionals stand out from their competition with a ...