The story behind the founding of Crystal Lagoons is an inspiring one.
Founder Fernando Fischmann overcame significant challenges to invent and patent the breakthrough technology that made large-scale, sustainable crystalline lagoons possible.
His rapid success in scaling the company at a global scale has turned his journey into a renowned case study at top business schools around the world.
In his search for a technology that could provide a low-cost way of maintaining man-made lagoons with crystalline waters, Fernando Fischmann consulted leading companies across Europe, Australia, the United States, and beyond. Despite his efforts, he was consistently told that the technology he envisioned did not exist and would be impossible to develop.
Why Traditional Pool Systems Weren’t Viable
Fernando Fischmann dreamed of creating a tropical beach experience at San Alfonso del Mar, his real estate development in Algarrobo, Chile. At its heart would be a stunning 20-acre crystal-clear lagoon—but traditional pool technologies made this vision impossible. Maintaining such a large body of water would be like operating 6,000 conventional pools, requiring massive amounts of filters, chemicals, and money—rendering the project economically unfeasible.
San Alfonso del Mar included:
20 acres
(8 hectares)
lagoon
250,000 m3
(66 million gallons)
water volume
6,000
traditional pools
equivalent
The Challenge:
6,000
filters
6,000
doses of chlorine
would be needed
Unsustainable Costs
High Operating Expenses
Maintenance Issues
Despite the setbacks, Fernando Fischmann—a trained biochemist—refused to give up on his vision. Instead of accepting that his dream was impossible, he took matters into his own hands. He built a research and analysis lab to develop the groundbreaking technology that would make large-scale, crystal-clear lagoons both sustainable and economically viable.
After years of research and experimentation, Fernando succeeded in creating the patented Crystal Lagoons® technology. This innovation made it possible to develop and maintain the first crystalline lagoon at San Alfonso del Mar, transforming not only the project but the concept of waterfront living itself.
Originally planned as a 400-unit second-home development, San Alfonso del Mar skyrocketed in success following the implementation of the lagoon, ultimately reaching 1,400 units and doubling the original sales price. Fernando Fischmann had created a completely new category: a turquoise-water lagoon that reshaped the local landscape and redefined the value of real estate.
Beyond swimming and water sports, the lagoon became a hub for scenic views, recreation, dining, and community life—revitalizing the entire area and setting a new global standard for waterfront development.
The first project in the world to use this groundbreaking technology quickly earned the title of “the most successful second home resort in the southern hemisphere.” Its revolutionary concept and the innovation that made it possible gained global recognition when the San Alfonso del Mar lagoon—spanning 20 acres (8 hectares) and stretching over 0.62 miles (1 kilometer)—was awarded a Guinness World Record as the world’s largest crystalline lagoon. This milestone marked a turning point, leading Fernando Fischmann to establish Crystal Lagoons to commercialize his visionary concept and patented technology.
He soon set his sights on expanding globally, developing a business model that would enable real estate developments around the world to replicate the success of San Alfonso del Mar. He introduced a disruptive approach to the market, which he described as “selling intelligence.” Under this model, Crystal Lagoons partners or licenses its technology while providing comprehensive support, including architectural designs, engineering specifications, custom-manufactured equipment, lagoon construction supervision, maintenance training, permanent telemetric monitoring, operational oversight, and marketing and PR assistance.
After years of revolutionizing the real estate industry, Crystal Lagoons is now transforming urban life through its Public Access Lagoons® model, also known as PAL® concept. These crystalline lagoons, surrounded by white sandy beaches, are accessible to the public via ticketed entry. Much like the English architect who introduced green parks into 19th-century London by bringing small forests into the city, Crystal Lagoons is bringing beach life to urban settings—offering a slice of the ocean in the heart of the city.
Today, Fernando Fischmann lives in the United States and is fully dedicated to developing new innovations, many of which have far-reaching environmental significance. His current work includes sustainable solutions for global challenges such as water and energy scarcity, including revolutionary technologies for data center cooling and energy-free desalination.
