industry trends

2015/12.2, December 16 — Holiday Fun, Brilliant Mirrors, Old-School Decking and more
THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS December 16, 2015 www.watershapes.com INTERVIEW Santa’s…
Commercial Constraints
'For years,' wrote Brian Van Bower to kick off his Aqua Culture column in the December 2005 edition of WaterShapes, 'conventional wisdom has held that many of the advances in watershape design incubate in the commercial realm and then slowly percolate over to the residential market as our clients ask for features they've seen on vacation and elsewhere.' 'That paradigm holds up to this day in many ways, but what's less acknowledged
2015/8.2, August 19 — Savvy Recycling, Natural Wandering, Budget-Suited Design and more
THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS August 19, 2015 www.watershapes.com FEATURE ARTICLE…
A Critical Eye
I spend a lot of time looking at watershapes:  Big and small, elaborate and simple, recreational and decorative, calm and eruptive, distant and interactive.  In too many ways to count, they're so much nicer now than when WaterShapes started paying attention to them 16 years ago. I think back to a time when I was an occasional
2012/9.2, September 19 — Cima del Mundo, Pond Revisions, Dancing Water Wall and more
  SEPTEMBER 19,  2012 www.watershapes.com ESSENTIAL A Classic Crescendo   For the best part of…
2012/7.1, July 11 — Hilltop Beauty, French Lessons, Pool-to-Pond Conversion and more
July 11, 2012 WATERSHAPES.COM ESSENTIAL Woven Beauty The customer wanted it all: a large pool…
2012/1.2, January 24 — Appropriate Design, Fort Worth Water Gardens, Ripples and more
January 25, 2012 WATERSHAPES.COM FEATURE ARTICLE What Goes with What? How do you decide what…
Reading the Tea Leaves
In his year-end column five years ago, Brian Van Bower began by addressing the need every businessperson has to step back periodically and evaluate ‘where you fit within your corner of the industry.’ ‘To me,’ he continued, ‘understanding the Big Picture is a practical necessity, because failing to do so means I’m almost certain to miss opportunities and, just as bad, will not be prepared for conditions in the market that influence
Life on the Leading Edge
    Late in 2001, WaterShapes columnist Brian Van Bower wrote passionately about innovation and the value he saw in pursuing trends, accepting change and moving steadily forward.  As we stand at another set of crossroads a decade later, the foundation he defined back then has 
Watershapers Must Grow or Go! (Part 2)
In the first installment of this two-part opinion piece, watershaper and educator Mark Holden offered a scathing critique of what he views as the traditional pool industry. To read Part One in its entirety, click here. In the second installment of his two-part opinion piece, Holden offers