Natural Pool Build Workshops

Led by Aqua Vitae

Aqua Vitae Build Workshops are conducted by Aqua Vitae, an international collective of designers, builders, and ecological specialists focused on natural swimming environments and regenerative water systems.

The collective brings together over 25 years of professional experience in high-end natural pool design and construction, with methods developed through long-term field practice, technical innovation, and direct apprenticeship with early pioneers of the natural swimming movement.

Aqua Vitae’s work has recently received top-tier international recognition, including Portugal’s first international award in this category, honoring projects distinguished by ecological performance, durability, and deeply naturalistic integration.

These workshops are designed to share that knowledge openly, clearly, and practically — on a real build, in real time.

Explore Natural Pool Construction on Your Terms
Aqua Vitae Workshops are uniquely structured to support you where you’re at in your journey — whether you’re just beginning to understand natural pool systems, ready for hands-on experience in build skills, or aspiring to professional-level mastery.

To reflect the real complexity of natural pool design and construction — and to ensure you learn effectively and safely — we’ve designed a tiered learning system with clear outcomes, pacing, and paths forward.

Our Learning Tiers
• Foundations: Natural Pool Systems – A conceptual course to build real understanding.
• Build Immersion: Wetland & Liner Systems – A calm, hands-on construction experience.
• Master Builder Intensive – Deep professional training for advanced systems and civil builds.

A Different Kind of Construction Education

Most education around natural pools happens either:

• in classrooms, far removed from real builds, or

• through informal DIY experimentation with high failure rates

Aqua Vitae workshops take a different approach.

Participants learn inside the build itself, observing and engaging with:

• real sequencing decisions

• real material behavior

• real problem-solving under constraints

• real trade-offs between design, durability, and cost

This approach develops construction judgment, not just technical knowledge.

Aqua Vitae Build Workshops are immersive, small-group educational programs conducted on active, professional natural pool construction sites.

They are designed for people who want to understand how high-end natural pools are actually designed and built — not as theory, not as DIY experimentation, but as real construction, in real conditions, guided by professionals.

This is not a classroom course.

It is not a casual DIY seminar.

And it is not a public construction site.

It is a carefully structured learning environment built around a live Aqua Vitae project.

What the Build Workshops Are

Condensed, Structured, Real

Each workshop is staged so that what normally unfolds over one to two weeks of construction is condensed into a focused, guided learning window.

This compression is intentional.

It allows participants to see the entire system—not just isolated steps—while everything is still fresh, contextual, and connected.

Construction Standard

All pools built during workshops are engineered using the Aqua Vitae proprietary civil-grade construction methodology.

This approach includes:

• reinforced structural layers

• redundant waterproofing strategies

• professional hydraulic and filtration logic

• material choices based on longevity, not convenience

Hosts receive a signature Aqua Vitae pool, identical in standard to non-workshop projects.

Workshops do not dilute build quality.

They operate within it.

Limited by Design

Aqua Vitae conducts only a small number of workshops per year.

Attendance is capped.

Projects are selected carefully.

And workshops are integrated into the build schedule—not imposed on it.

This ensures:

• safety

• clarity

• build integrity

• meaningful learning

For Participants

Learn how natural pools are actually built—inside a real project

Aqua Vitae Build Workshops are for people who want real understanding, not surface knowledge.

Participants do not just watch.

They learn why things are done, when they matter, and where mistakes actually occur.

The Core Workshop:

Two-Day Build Immersion

The core experience is a two-day on-site build immersion.

During these days, participants:

• observe active construction at close range

• assist with appropriate tasks under supervision• see how professional decisions are made in real time

• understand how systems connect across stages

Higher-risk or specialized work remains under direct professional control.

The goal is learning—not improvisation.

What the Workshop Looks Like

Foundations & Planning Day (optional · half day, afternoon)
A structured instructional session focused on design logic, planning, and sequencing before construction begins. The day combines guided presentation with open discussion to align understanding and prepare participants for the build.

Core Workshop — Day 1 (full construction day)
Focused on site layout, foundations, liner systems, and early stonework. Participants observe and engage with real construction processes while design and structural decisions are explained in context as work progresses.

Core Workshop — Day 2 (full construction day)
Covers water features, filtration and hydraulics, plant installation, and lighting. Emphasis is placed on understanding how individual components work together to create long-term performance and stability.

Application & Design Review Day (optional · half day)
A closing session dedicated to questions, technical clarification, and applying what was learned to future projects. Includes discussion of participant designs, site constraints, and adaptation strategies.

Participants gain real-world understanding of natural pool construction, including:

• Design and system theory for natural swimming pools
• How construction decisions are made and sequenced in real time
• How individual components interact across stages of a build
• How to evaluate tradeoffs, constraints, and long-term performance

This knowledge is difficult—or impossible—to gain from plans, books, or videos alone.

What You Learn

For participants who want deeper or project-specific guidance, optional extensions are available in addition to the two-day Core Workshop.

Available options include:

• Foundations & Planning Day (optional)
A half-day instructional session focused on design logic, planning, proportions, and system sequencing before construction begins.

Optional Expanded Learning Path

• Application & Design Review Day (optional)
A half-day session dedicated to Q&A, technical clarification, and applying workshop concepts to participants’ own projects.

• Follow-Up Consultation (optional)
One-on-one virtual consultation during planning or construction phases to support implementation after the workshop.

These options allow participants to move from understanding → application with additional support, as needed.

Workshop Pricing & Availability

Workshops are scheduled around active natural swimming pool builds. Each workshop is tied to a specific project, location, and timeframe. Availability is limited and varies by build.*

Spring 2026 — Coastal Portugal

Custom residential natural swimming pool

• Core Workshop (2 days)

• Optional pre- and post-workshop days available

• Available spots: 6

Tentative dates:

• May 2-3 Core Workshop

• May 1, 4 Foundations & Planning Day + Application & Design Review Day

• May 12-13 Core Workshop

• May 11, 14 Foundations & Planning Day + Application & Design Review Day

Status: Accepting expressions of interest

Participation is limited to six places. If you would like to be notified when dates and registration are confirmed, you may leave your email below.

Core Workshop (2 days): €1,450

Optional add-ons:
• Foundations & Planning Day: €450
• Application & Design Review Day: €450
• Post-Workshop Project Consultation (remote): €275

All-Access 4 day Workshop Package: €2,250

All packages are subject to availability by project.

*Workshops are tied to live construction projects and dates may shift slightly based on site conditions. Travel and accommodation are not included. Master Course programs are announced separately.

Pricing

Availability

Autumn 2026 — Coastal Portugal

Larger estate-scale natural swimming pond

• Core Workshop (2 days)

• Optional pre- and post-workshop days available

• Available spots: 8

Tentative dates:

• September 12-13 Core Workshop

• September 11, 14 Foundations & Planning Day + Application & Design Review Day

• September 19-20 Core Workshop

• September 18, 21 Foundations & Planning Day + Application & Design Review Day

Status: Accepting expressions of interest

Participation is limited to six places. If you would like to be notified when dates and registration are confirmed, you may leave your email below.

For Hosts & Resorts

An award-level pool, built at reduced cost, with lasting value

Hosting an Aqua Vitae Build Workshop allows selected property owners and resorts to receive a signature Aqua Vitae natural pool while supporting a high-level educational program.

This is not a public workshop.

It is not an open construction site.

And it is not a volunteer build.

It is a professional project with an integrated educational component.

What Hosts Receive

Host sites receive:

• A fully engineered Aqua Vitae natural pool

• Built using our proprietary civil-grade methodology

• Supervised construction at all times

• A reduced project cost (typically 10–20%)

• Optional professional documentation of the build for educational and reference use

• Alignment with an award-recognized design collectiveBuild quality is never compromised.

Workshop participation is structured around the project—not imposed on it.

How Workshops Integrate into the Build

Participants assist only with:

• tasks appropriate to experience level

• work that would normally be performed by general labor

All critical construction phases remain under direct professional supervision. This mirrors how professional crews already function—without introducing risk.

Why Hosts Choose This Model

Hosts often choose this program because it provides:

• significant cost savings

• a distinctive, high-profile project

• educational and cultural alignment

• long-term durability beyond typical “natural pond” builds

The result is not a workshop pool. It is a signature Aqua Vitae pool.

Selection & Availability

Host projects are selected carefully and limited in number.

Aqua Vitae typically conducts:

• one to two host programs per year

This maintains quality, focus, and scheduling integrity.

Is This a Fit?

The Host Program is ideal for:

• eco-resorts

• retreat centers

• educational properties

• private estates with long-term vision

It is not a fit for:

• rushed timelines

• purely cost-driven projects

• public or uncontrolled construction environments

Interested in Hosting a Workshop?

Hosting opportunities are discussed directly and tailored to each project.

Discuss Hosting Your Property

Please fill out the form below. We will reach out to you to discuss possibilities.