Professional Watershaping

Fine Points: Equipment Shelves and Tables
Equipment-pad design often requires making the most of the available space, which in many situations is far too small. Kevin Cobabe faces tight confines in at least half of his projects, he says, which leads to the use of tables and shelves to fit in the needed equipment without compromising efficiency or serviceability. ...
The Shimmering Spires of Jade Mountain
St. Lucia’s Jade Mountain is one of the world’s most unusual and luxurious resorts, a renowned masterwork in the organic architecture tradition opened since 2006. One of its unique finishing touches involved creating sculptural glass-tile spires atop the building, an artistic task David Knox enthusiastically embraced in the spirit of the place, and the man who created this entirely unique resort.   ...
ACI Releases Shotcrete Guide for Pools
Years in the making, the American Concrete Institute has published the definitive guide for shotcrete applications in swimming pool construction—a document aimed at unifying application practices and quality standards.  ...
Watershape University Names Eric Knight as New Executive Director
The Wolfpack is proud to announce that Eric Knight, vice president of education and training at HASA, Inc. and Orenda Technologies, has accepted a new role as executive director of Watershape University (WU). Knight has been with Orenda for the past nine years (including two years since the HASA acquisition of Orenda in March 2023). Since joining Orenda in 2016, the company has grown from a small specialty chemical manufacturer into one of the world’s leading brands for both water chemistry and swimming pool education. Eric was instrumental in the creation of the Orenda Calculator, blog, videos, Orenda Academy, and the Rule Your Pool Podcast. He has traveled extensively, teaching pool professionals new and innovative ways to think about pool chemistry. ...
Lessons Learned: Unclosed Encounter
In an effort to raise awareness about common jobsite missteps, Scott Cohen returns with his Lessons Learned series, which previously ran for several years on WaterShapes online resulting in Cohen’s book, The Candid Contractor. Here he dives back in with a simple look at the importance of closing the pool gate. ...
The Rhythm of Design
Designing beautiful outdoor spaces that feel welcoming and harmonious is oftentimes a matter of self-editing, says Kirk Bianchi. Here he delves into the design process with the idea of creating rhythm and visual balance, when making decisions about what to include and leave out. ...
Ripple Effects: Pandemic-Era Pools
The pandemic may be in the rearview mirror, but its impact on the pool industry continues to be felt. Pools built too fast, by inexperienced contractors with lack of supervision, has led to a stream of construction defects and in some cases, costly litigation. ...
Built to Lead
As consumers trend toward smaller pools, and contractors seek streamlined installation solutions, custom designer/builder Mario Abaldo decided to start a line of prefab concrete pools, based on leading-edge engineering and manufacturing standards. ...
Firescaping: Designing Landscapes and Hardscapes to Reduce Fire Risk
The recent fires in Los Angeles have left behind widespread devastation. Implementing measures that help prevent fires and reduce their severity going forward is now at the forefront of landscape and pool professionals working in fire-prone areas. Here, Scott Cohen outlines the key features in “Firescaping”—the practice of creating spaces that do not burn. ...
Stainless Watershapes (Part I)
Stainless-steel vessels have dramatically increased in popularity over the past 20 years, observes Mark Holden and Jeff Freemen. That increase necessitates a greater understanding of the material, its advantages and, as important, the potential problems associated with the manufacturing process that can lead to catastrophic failures, litigation and expensive remediations. ...