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Buckingham Fountain Table Stays Pink While Going Green02-01-09 | News

Buckingham Fountain Table Stays Pink While Going Green

By Brad Swanson, ASLA

Using a blue chalk line, the contractor ensures the pattern is laid parallel to the north-south axis of the fountain. The fountain table is boasted as the world?EUR??,,????'?????<
Photos: Unilock

When discussing Chicago parks, Grant Park is usually at the top of the list. Described as ?EUR??,,????'?????<

The design view of Grant Park reveals the new permeable paver table and the revitalized Buckingham Fountain. The previous table was impervious, with a combination of bituminous asphalt covered with pink pea granite. Design elements include planters with boxwoods (tulips in the spring) and perennials and annuals the rest of the year. The design incorporates diagonal walkways in all four-corner quadrants and replicated, pink precast concrete stairways at the north and south ends. Adjacent to the staircases are accessible ramps. The east and west planters and diagonal walks removed in the 1980s have been restored. Along the diagonal walks, thornless ?EUR??,,????'?????<

The centerpiece of Grant Park is the Clarence F. Buckingham Memorial Fountain. This focal point of the downtown lakefront is one of the most striking and recognized architectural features in the city. Since 1927, when Kate Buckingham dedicated it in memory of her late brother, the fountain has been the center of attention for Chicago tourists and residents. Located at the center point of Daniel Burnham?EUR??,,????'?????<

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When it was dedicated 82 years ago, it was the ?EUR??,,????'?????<

The original copper and iron ornamental fence was restored. The fence top was leveled around the entire fountain as originally installed.

Buckingham Fountain Restoration

When the CPD and the Art Institute of Chicago decided the Buckingham Fountain needed comprehensive restoration, pavers or stormwater solutions were not part of the plan. Since the fountain has landmark status, most of the focus was on mechanical, electrical, plumbing and structural elements and preserving the decorative, Georgia pink marble elements.

CPD hired the landscape architectural and engineering firm?EUR??,,????'?????<

The original site included ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Conservation of the marble, replacement of the deteriorated slab basin/fountain display improvements, internal pump house improvements and expansion to maintain the fountain?EUR??,,????'?????<

Construction on historic landmarks can often be difficult. In this case, however, it presented numerous opportunities to reintroduce significant site elements that were removed from the original installation or subsequently replaced or eliminated over the years.

Chicago requires stormwater detention for site improvements over 15,000 square feet. Initially, only a percentage of the fountain deck was envisioned for permeable pavers, but the entire deck is now permeable pavers. The pattern derives from three paver sizes?EUR??,,????'?????<

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The project included several noticeable reintroductions of original site elements, including planter areas in the table, diagonal walkways in all four-corner quadrants and replicated, pink precast concrete stairways at the north and south ends. Adjacent to the staircases are accessible ramps to match the material used on the other site features. The east and west planters and diagonal walks that were removed in the 1980s have now been restored in their original locations.

Open-graded aggregate is used for the permeable pavers. The top two-inch layer (1/4 to 3/8-inch chip aggregate, Illinois DOT CA-16, ASTM No. 8) acts as a setting bed and is screened similar to sand above a larger 3/4-inch open-graded aggregate (Illinois DOT CA-7, ASTM No. 57). A minor underdrain system prevents any subsurface drainage problems.

The planter areas will be lined with boxwood and filled with tulips in the spring and with perennials and annuals the rest of the year. Along the diagonal walks, Thornless ?EUR??,,????'?????<

TD&A began with a detailed analysis and evaluation of several different surface types that would accomplish the CPD goals of accessibility, durability and historical character. The CPD required the ability to remove sections of the selected hardscape, if necessary, and replace those units without a patchwork look. Concrete pavers best met that need. The designers learned from a 1927 article the original site included ?EUR??,,????'?????<

During the first day of installation the contractor laid approximately 1,000 square feet. At peak installation over 5,000 square feet of pavers were hand installed per day. The face mix-pavers use a special two-step process where the top 1/4 to 1/2 inch have a finish material that eliminates the appearance of fading. A face mix can be applied to almost any paver, permeable or otherwise.

Paving the Way to Sustainability

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After resolving the color wearing concern, there was attention paid to patterning. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

TD&A created several different laying patterns of various sizes and shapes to ensure the final installation would not reveal a detectable pattern. The firm started with five paver sizes ranging from 5???10-inch and up to 15???20-inches.?EUR??,,????'?????<

After replacement of the leaky outer basin and other renovations on Buckingham Fountain are complete, the Chicago landmark (circa 1927) in Grant Park can return to its glory days and nights. When the sun goes down, lights and music enhance the fountain experience. The fountain was modeled after Versailles?EUR??,,????'?????<
Photo: A late evening photo of Buckingham Fountain and Chicago skyline, Aug. 14, 2004 by Benjamin Miller. Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 License.

While the fountain deck is all permeable pavers, initially, only 25 percent of the hardscape was projected to have permeable pavers, as a means to meet Chicago?EUR??,,????'?????<

Permeable paving was a meaningful idea conceived by Kutscheid, the project landscape architect. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

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Photos: Unilock

Using permeable pavers was in keeping with sustainable design and the strong ?EUR??,,????'?????<

When completed, the Buckingham Fountain area will meet the Chicago Department of Water Management?EUR??,,????'?????<

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Paver bundles await installation. Over 1,600 bundles were necessary to cover the fountain table. The Chicago Park District required the ability to remove areas of the deck and replace the surfacing without any visible signs of change. Pavers best met this project need.

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About the author: Brad Swanson, ASLA, CSI, CDT, is a commercial product representative at Unilock Chicago and registered landscape architect in the states of Indiana, Illinois and California.

Project location:
Grant Park between Columbus and Lakeshore Drives and Balbo and Jackson Streets

Project size:
236,000 square feet (5.4 acres)

Permeable paver:
Unilock Eco-Priora, three shapes
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Color/type:
Coral Gem crushed granite exposed aggregate

Start date:
Sept. 2, 2008

Completion date of phase one:
Dec. 31, 2008