Water features have become a favored way to activate outdoor spaces following the pandemic. These property amenities had already been increasing in popularity, but as more owners and developers looked for innovative ways to create safe outdoor spaces through the pandemic, water features have quickly become a top amenity.

"While activating exterior spaces was an emerging trend before the pandemic, mixed-use and retail owners began to enhance and utilize their exterior spaces during this crisis in order to continue operating and attracting customers," J. Wickham Zimmerman, CEO of OTL, a water feature contractor and designer, tells GlobeSt.com."

Zimmerman expects the trend to continue following the end of the pandemic, especially as many developers are investing in outdoor spaces. "Going forward, developers and owners will continue investing in their outdoor spaces as a means of being prepared for any future pandemics or emergency situations that might arise," he says. In fact, bringing these amenities outdoors allows properties to operate amongst a wider variety of health and safety regulations that could be enacted in the new normal."