Professional Watershaping

Reworking a Classic
This vintage property in the heights of Bel Air overlooking Los Angeles had seen better days when JC Escudero became involved in a sweeping renovation back in 2019. The work, including remodeling the pool and adding a spa, would redefine much of the property, while at the same time remaining true to its Spanish Colonial roots, all part of the latest chapter in the property’s star-studded history.   ...
Unpacking Non-Disclosure Agreements
There’s nothing secret about the increasing prevalence of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) on many, if not most, of today’s most elaborate watershaping projects. More and more, designers and builders are being asked, if not forced, to sign these documents that in many cases prohibit sharing any type of information about the project. ...
“My Prettiest Picture . . . Why?”
The visual grace and simplicity of this deceptively nuanced project betray the slew of design details and careful planning required to pull it off. As David Tisherman explains here, the rooftop Los Angeles pool offered a unique opportunity to apply elevated design principles and technical discipline in a dreamlike, yet challenging, setting. ...
Butchart Gardens: A Living Legacy of Beauty and Innovation
Nestled on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, Butchart Gardens is a world-renowned botanical garden that attracts over a million visitors annually. Its stunning landscapes, vibrant flowers, and meticulously designed water features have made it a must-see destination for garden enthusiasts and tourists alike. ...
Seaweed Secrets
In summer 2023, seaweed drew widespread concern and media attention as a giant “blob” of sargassum invaded Florida as well as parts of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Despite the bad press, messy beaches and pungent odor, a look beneath the surface reveals a vast world of diverse complexity, beauty and practical potential. ...
Remembering a Leader: Vance Gillette
As the pool industry mourns the passing of renown leader and advocate, Vance Gillette, WaterShapes editor and long-time friend, Eric Herman, offers a reflection on the career and influence of one of the industry’s most charismatic and outspoken proponents. ...
Breaking Ground with Expanding Demolition Grout
There’s more than one way to break apart a rock, or an old retaining wall, or any other dispensable stone or concrete structure. From jackhammers to dynamite, demolitionists have always had options. Here Mike Nantz discusses a lesser known method that is both quieter and more precise than other more dramatic forms of deconstruction. ...
For the Love of Sea Turtles
Are sea turtles medicine? To survive, sea turtles need our help and are the perfect group of animals for Wildlife Conservation Therapy, which helps us in return, explained the late Wallace J. Nichols in this widely read essay on the importance of sea turtles. ...
Square Roots & Cross Purposes
Tailoring pool designs that marry the clients’ desires with the setting is always top-of-mind for Joan Roca. Here, he describes a project on the Florida coast that stands as a perfect example of his design approach. In this case, he turned to a basic shape and a host of custom details, to create a watershape that offers function, and a striking centerpiece that unifies house, land and sea.     ...
Theme Ships Ahoy
Given that ships and shipwrecks are inherently tied to water, it only makes sense that interactive, ship-themed splashpad water features are a natural fit, for ocean enthusiasts and landlopers alike. Here’s a look inside the popular interactive-fountain genre. ...