client relationships

Paying the Frontrunner Fee
'I've always been excited by innovation.  I place creativity high on my list of aspirations and priorities in my own business, and I think my life gets most interesting when I'm involved with people who are similarly attuned to this desire to do and try new and interesting things.' That's how Brian Van Bower opened his
Slices of Heaven
Working on a wide range of projects in a wide range of locales for a broad range of clients is an interesting way to make a living, I have to say, but in some cases the projects we participate in are so high end that we know we'll only ever experience the finished product in pictures. A case in point is the Ani Villas, a resort property in Dikwella on the southern edge of Sri Lanka, a large island off the southern coast of India.  It's a water lover's paradise, with 270-degree views of the Indian Ocean as well as grounds dotted by multiple watershapes:  two large main pools, numerous small private plunges for certain guest rooms, a pair of pools for kids, a weeping wall to greet visitors and a river/cascade system through portions of the property. It's an amazing place, and I'm proud to say we
2016/9.2, September 21 — Hilltop Staging, Pond Pests, Shimmering Reflections and more
THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS September 21, 2016 www.watershapes.com FEATURE ARTICLE…
2016/9.1, September 7 — Trash-Pit Makeover, Pond Conversations, Drain Dynamics and more
THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS September 7, 2016 www.watershapes.com FEATURE ARTICLE…
Taking Care
'As obvious as [it] may seem, it's phenomenally easy to lose sight of the immediate importance of healthful habits,' wrote Brian Van Bower in opening his Aqua Culture column in the July/August 2011 edition of WaterShapes.  'I know deep in my heart that being healthy is a long-term commitment, but I also know how easy it is to set that discipline aside.' 'As we make our way through [the busy] summer season, . . . it's easier than usual to set aside concerns about healthy living in favor of
2016/7.2, July 27 — Deadline Drama, pH and Plaster, Fountain Up Close and more
THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS July 27, 2016 www.watershapes.com FEATURE ARTICLE…
A Different Drum
  This is a story about possibilities pulled within reach by modern technology. It all started early in 2015, when one of us talked with a friend about the benefits of belonging to a group of like-minded professionals who get together a couple times a year to talk shop, exchange ideas and generally build the kind of camaraderie that's hard to develop if all you do is
For the Love of Beauty
'The creation of something outstanding, something that stirs an emotional response, something that establishes an ongoing, extraordinary experience for clients and anyone else who sees our work all starts with the passion we have in our hearts for art and its intimate relationship to what we do as watershapers.' That's how David Tisherman opened his Details column in the October 2005 edition of WaterShapes.  He continued:  'I believe that unless you appreciate and
Life at the High End
'Through the years,' wrote Brian Van Bower at the head of his Aqua Culture column in the October 2005 issue of WaterShapes, 'more than a few watershaping professionals have asked me how to break through and start working with high-end clients.   'I respond by giving them the disappointing news that there is no magic key here:  Serving the high end takes
My Digital Confession
It all started at the Orlando pool expo last November, when Noah Nehlich stopped by the WaterShapes booth toward the end of the show and asked how we might work together.   He's the founder of Structure Studios (which produces the Pool Studio software system), and I have to admit that I'd never been terribly receptive to the concept of digital design.  At that point, in fact, I was still so