industry trends

Informed Vigilance
Are dark clouds gathering on the economic horizon? Many people think so, and are feeling that way with growing frequency and deepening levels of concern. As Eric Herman points out, based on past experience in periods of looming financial strife, this is the time to plan for a changing business landscape. ...
2020/10.2, October 21 — Long-Term Excellence, Bending Steel, Frustrating Lessons and more
THE RESOURCE FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS, AND BUILDERS Can’t read or see images?View this email…
2020/10.1, October 7 — More Contrasts, Stacking Steel, Rising Higher and more
DESIGN ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION THE DEFINITIVE RESOURCE FOR PROFESSIONALS AND CONSUMERS WHO MAKE WATER AND OUTDOOR…
Times of Change
By any measure, the past year has been a time of tumultuous change - and I'm not referencing the current microbiological situation. (In fact, let's just declare this space a "virus-free" zone for now.) Rather I'm talking about the tumbling dominoes that have been falling throughout the pool and spa industry since last spring. Dating back to the
Collaborative Artists
The three features that top this edition of WaterShapes have been a long time coming - a special package of articles all about the same project told from three different professional perspectives. Through the years, we at WaterShapes have taken this
Finding Ways
'Last month,' wrote Brian Van Bower to open his Aqua Culture column in the February 2004 issue of WaterShapes, 'I jumped into the New Year with a discussion of how the trends we face these days are influencing our recent experiences in business, society and life in general.   'All that was intended to set up this column's discussion of where we, as the watershaping industry, might be going in the months and years to come.  . . .  Rather than get into the aimless game of offering predictions, I'll delve instead into
2019/2.1, February 6 — Redressed Ravine, Stepwell Wonders, Urban Retreat and more
THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS February 6, 2019 www.watershapes.com FEATURE ARTICLE…
Engaging Ideas
This edition of the WaterShapes newsletter carries two unusual articles. One is Victoria Lautman's piece on the stepwells of India; the other is Lauren Stack's look at water-related trends and the importance of helping more people learn to
We Can Do Better
‘During a presentation to a recent conference for the swimming pool and spa industry, I tossed this nugget to the audience:  “By a show of hands, how many of you in this room believe that most people think highly of our industry?  Please be honest.” ’ That’s how Brian Van Bower began his Aqua Culture column in the May 2003 edition of WaterShapes.  He continued:  ‘It was a mixed group of more than 160 people representing
Devils in the Details
‘Why is it that, on the pool/spa side of the watershaping business, it’s so difficult to find much by way of truly workable plans and specifications?’ That’s how Brian Van Bower started his Aqua Culture column in the April 2003 edition of WaterShapes before adding:  ‘In residential work, of course, the tone is set by local building inspectors and plan checkers, whose needs seem to vary tremendously from place to place.  But that’s no excuse for the fact that the plans used in a great many residential projects are grossly