One of my favorite urban design features is a water fountain. Just about anything that sprays water or features interesting pools catches my eye and ear.
One of my favorite things to do when living in DC, for example, was to visit all the water effects along the mall on a hot day. There’s a first ladies’ grotto by the capital that is very cool and refreshing, the Canadian embassy and East Wing of the art museum feature fountains, there are reflecting pools, fountains at the Navy exhibit, and a pond at Freedom Plaza, to name but a few.
A great fountain and water effects company is WET Design. You may be familiar with their work if you have seen jumping fountains at amusement parks or resorts. To accomplish the effect they channel water through increasingly small tubes until they eliminate turbulence and end up with a lucite-like tube of water flying through the air.
WET has done quite a few beautiful projects, including the following.
The Dubai Fountain is a 32 acre lake blasting water and light at night:
Their Denver Airport fountain gives the impression of a world of takeoffs and landings:
The Fountains of CityCenter feature twisting water vortices and water walls:
If this kind of thing makes you want to create some water fountains of your own, perhaps a lecture on design, manufacturing and engineering fro WET would be a good place to start.
I'm so glad I clicked on
I’m so glad I clicked on this story. I didn’t know that the fountains were presented for our view…
Let's save up and get one...
I once investigated hiring them to do one in Boston.
Minimum small project was about $250k around 20 years ago. We’d probably do well to aim for a million or two now.