A swimming pool wall, and method for forming same, including a plurality of layers of reinforced composite material. Each layer includes a thermoplastic resin and a plurality of elongate glass strands of reinforcing material. A first set of the plurality of layers has the strands running in a first direction, and a second set of the plurality of layers has the strands running in a second direction. The first direction is offset in angle from the second direction, and the first and second set of layers are fused together to form a unitary composite wall. The pool wall permits the use of a composite material which provides sufficient strength and resists degradation. The wall structure may be a plurality of interconnected panels both arcuate and arcuate and planar in shape to determine the overall shape of the composite wall enclosing an area where water or ice is retained.