Lessons We’re Carrying Into 2026

By J. Wickham Zimmerman, CEO

As 2025 comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on the projects and partnerships that shaped our year. At OTL, our work has always been about more than designing and building water features. We create experiences using water, light, and technology — experiences that bring people together and elevate the places they care about. This year made that mission clearer than ever. 

A few lessons stand out as we look ahead. 

1. Collaboration is sustainability in action. 

True sustainability extends beyond materials and resources. It’s also about the people who bring a project to life. Early collaboration with landscape architects, architects, general contractors, and owners proved again and again that shared intent leads to better outcomes. When teams align early — on story, purpose, user experience, or water reuse strategies — creativity expands and efficiencies multiply. 

Collaboration preserves what matters most to our industry: trust, expertise, and collective ingenuity. 

2. Beauty has a job to do. 

Our medium is visual and kinetic. When water, light, and movement come together with intention, they transform how people feel in a space. This year reminded us that beauty isn’t ornamental. It’s functional. It draws people in, encourages them to linger, and helps define a destination’s identity. 

We saw underused spaces become gathering places and ordinary plazas evolve into memorable experiences. When design serves both emotion and purpose, the value of a place grows in ways that are measurable and meaningful. 

3. Adaptability is our greatest asset. 

The way people interact with public spaces is changing, and our environments must respond. We’ve leaned into systems that evolve — features that adjust to crowds, plazas that double as performance zones, and technologies like real-time interactive programming that let guests shape the experience. 

Adaptability challenges us to design with possibility in mind, not just permanence. The projects that embraced this mindset proved more resilient and more engaging for their communities. 

Looking ahead 

I’m proud of the progress our team and partners made this year. The lessons of 2025 — collaboration, purpose, adaptability — reaffirm why we do what we do and how we can continue to create experiences that matter. 

To our clients, collaborators, and team members: thank you for the trust you place in us. We look forward to shaping the next chapter together and creating places that move, connect, and inspire.