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Historians can only estimate how long humans have been indulging the benefits of hot water in natural springs warmed by the earth. One place in Italy, believed to be made by the gods, is estimated to have been in continuous year-round use by health and pleasure seekers for more than 20,000 years – and remains one of Tuscany’s most popular attractions.
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Once derided as “baggies,” pools with vinyl liners have now taken their place in the world of custom watershaping, due to the flexibility of shape and wide spectrum of patterns, colors and textures. This beautiful remodel stands as a perfect example, says Columbian watershaper, Christophe Garces.
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As live events continue to come back into our lives, Watershape University is bringing top-shelf education to watershapers of all categories coast-to-coast with both essential and advanced offerings. Next up, the Wolfpack is heading west to beautiful northern California for an in-person presentation of Essential Pool Construction.
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The concept of the “middle class” pool has changed, dramatically so in some ways, largely due to a set of generational and economic shifts that are directly impacting watershape designers and builders. Success in today’s market, says JC Escudero, means understanding the values and motivations of younger consumers, and the world in which they live.
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You don’t have to have PhD to participate in the scientific process. “Citizen scientists” are playing a larger and larger role in the collection and assimilation of data and observations across a spectrum of areas of study, including research about the health of natural watershapes of all types and the impact those conditions have on a variety of species.
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The use of borates in pools has gained momentum over the past few years by service techs and homeowners alike. As its acceptance grows, the data and anecdotes of borate benefits are mounting, pointing toward a very bright future for boron-based treatment products.
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For situations where space is tight, turning to stainless steel basins can be the best call, explains Dave Peterson. This structural wall detail can also be used to make a clean aesthetic statement, by bringing the water right up to surrounding hardscape.
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For anyone working with water chemistry, the pH scale is key to understanding a range of factors, from mineral saturation to the effectiveness of chlorine. It is essential to understanding water as the so-called “universal solvent” and the management of watershapes of all types. What many may not realize, however, is that this all-important chemical convention resulted from experimentation with beer.
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The popularity and presence of urban bathhouses are on the rise, a trend driven by post-pandemic demand for healthy communal experiences among urban consumers. A mainstay of civilized societies for centuries the world over, public bathing facilities experienced sharp decline in the second half of the 20th century, but may once again play an important role in physical, mental and “social” wellness.
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As the world spins off the rails in a variety of unsettling directions, the need for comfort and tranquility has never been greater. Is this where the power of nature and aquatic environments comes the most into play? Has there never been a better time to seek refuse at the water’s edge? Eric Herman thinks so.
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