Architectural fountains, once built and functioning in public spaces, are subject to changes and alterations of intent created by changing circumstances and situations typically beyond the designer’s control. This inevitable fact can often mean the doom or failure of the fountain. How many fountains do you know that have been transformed into planters, demolished or altered into something else? Conversely, some fountains, although physically altered or reconditioned, can successfully evolve to accommodate changes of surrounding physical environment and/or cultural influences. As a seasoned practitioner of fountain design, I have experienced the pain and pleasure of both scenarios. In this article I will share some of these experiences. Hopefully they will enlighten the unaware designer of water features for public spaces.

The Orange County Administration Center Fountain

I have had many opportunities to design fountains and water features during my career at Herbert•Halback, Inc., including one at the Orange County Administration Center in Orlando, Florida. This fountain was jokingly dubbed the “Fountain of Peace” at the building’s dedication in 1984. It was a unique opportunity and experience to design and supervise the construction of a major water feature. Working with the structural, mechanical and electrical engineers of Reynolds, Smith and Hills, we created a complex array of water effects impelled, by high volume pumps. During the project’s design phase, one of the county commissioners challenged the design team to create a fountain “like the ones he saw in Portland,” Halprin’s Auditorium Forecourt and Lovejoy Plaza. I was eager to comply, and built a model which was provided to the contractor to aid in the visualization and construction.

During the following decade after its ribbon cutting ceremony, large volumes of water (approximately 6,000 GPM) circulated through various pools, jets, spouts, tunnels and over brick inclines which created wave patterns in the water. At times, the water stood still; it was waiting for routine maintenance and mechanical repairs. In the end, the maintenance and operational expenditures proved to be burdensome for the county’s staff and budget.

The result of this operational burden was the fountain’s demise. Sadly, at the suggestion of a county employee, the fountain was transformed into something akin to a Japanese rock garden with minimal water flow over the main weir. They even put a “safety” railing around it fearing that somebody might unwittingly fall into the shallow pool.

The Orlando City Hall Fountain

The History Center fountain is comprised of multiple "pop" jets that emerge from the pavement. The fountain can also be turned off during large public events to function as a stage. Many fountains like the History Center fountain, have been designed to encourage interaction, but this can come with certain restrictions imposed by the Department of Health. The Orange County Administration Center fountain.

The sculptural fountain feature I designed for the Orlando City Hall sits at center stage of a 50,000 square-foot open space, linking the formal section of the plaza with its informal urban park. The water feature is an abstract, environmental statement of the varying weather and water characteristics of the Central Florida landscape. The fountain is comprised of multiple pools of water representing lakes with the central pool depressed to replicate a “sinkhole,” the predominant geological feature of Central Florida. Two copper clad arches span the central pool and are connected by stainless steel “clouds” which simulate storm events by raining various intensities of water into the lower pool. At night, a changing glow of colored light precedes the intermittent showers of rainstorms while strobe lights flicker during “storms” to emulate heat lightning.

This fountain feature has been entertaining people both night and day on a regular basis since its dedication in 1992. It has been popular and widely accepted by visitors and local residents as a symbol of our unique regional environment. Because of this public acceptance, I feel that this project has been one of my most successful as a designer.

Today, the Orlando City Hall fountain faces a crossroad which could determine the outcome of its future longevity. The southern portion of the fountain is currently being reconstructed to “fit” the entrance of a high rise office tower, phase 2 of an ambitious public/private venture to develop the overall complex known as City Commons. The first phase of the project included the city hall building and its forecourt plaza with the fountain. It was built by the city of Orlando with Lincoln Property Company as a development partner. In developing the master plan for this complex, the original design team, including HKS Architects, Heller & Leake Architects and Herbert•Halback, Inc., had planned to incorporate the phase 2 building and a future phase 3 high rise building on the north side of the complex, without detrimentally effecting the plaza and its sub component parts. I should mention, however, that during the phase 1 construction process, the fountain pool’s interior waterproofing finishes were “value engineered” and have deteriorated. The fountain currently needs to be reconditioned and have worn mechanical parts replaced in order to provide years of further service. If the fountain is not reconditioned, the “rains” will stop and a long “drought” will ensue.

A Proposed Interactive Fountain for the Orange County Regional History Center

The Orange County Historical Museum has acquired space in the heart of downtown Orlando to construct its new County Regional History Center. Herbert•Halback, Inc. has been retained to execute the complete site design with the joint venture team of Spillas Candela & Partners, Inc. and Kha Le-Huu & Partners, P.A.

The Orange County Administration Center fountain was originally designed in 1984. The fountain was designed to move approximately 6,000 GPM through mutiple pools, jets, spouts and over brick inclines.

This project includes a 50,000 plus square-foot public open space, which promises to be a significant and positive addition to downtown Orlando. Because of its regional importance, our project’s clientele not only includes the Orange County Historical Society Board, but lead representatives of Orange County Government and the city of Orlando through the auspices of the Downtown Development Board. The political agendas and program requirements of this project are, needless to say, complicated and at times, at odds with each other. However, the design team has successfully developed their proposals and the project is currently under construction.

Due to operational expenditures, the fountain was transformed by the county's direction into something akin to a Japanese rock garden. Water flow was reduced over the main weir and the jets were eliminated. The county also erected railing around the shallow pool for safety purposes.

In the heart of this public open space is a fountain I designed, which will allow people to interact and “play” within it. Because of these aspects, many code and regulatory issues have had to be addressed and have influenced the design of the water feature. For instance, in order to maintain a feeling of open space without barriers, ramps and/or steps, all pedestrian surfaces had to be less than a five percent slope. The basic design premise adopted for the feature was to create a Cypress dome with a wetland (the fountain) at its sunken center. All parties embraced the Cypress dome concept since it was a unique representation of the regional environment and was not historically rooted in any particular time, style or era. Creating the feeling of a sloping bowl was difficult with gradual five percent slopes, but hopefully, it will be a success when completed. Because people are going to be allowed to interact directly in the water feature, the local State Department of Health, which strictly regulates public swimming pools in the state of Florida, decided to intervene with requirements to provide a public shower and restrooms, a program element not wanted by any of the project’s clientele!

The Orlando City Hall fountain included two copper clad arches which span the central pool. The arches support stainless steel "clouds" which produce various intensities of rain showers.

The fountain’s interactive effects are periodic flooding and “pop” jets rising out of the pavement from a below grade reservoir. Mist jets will periodically create a fog or “morning dew” within the fountain and the surrounding Cypress dome.

This fountain has many obstacles to overcome during the construction process in order to become another “gift” or built water feature operational in the public realm. Issues of budget, constructability and unforeseen obstacles typically come into play during the building phase of any water feature. During this period I usually drive the contractor crazy (as well as myself) with my close hands-on supervision. Fred Halback, FASLA, has always kidded me about it as being part of my “birthing process.” Currently, the anticipated “delivery” date is the summer of 2001.

The Bulkhead Spillway at DeLeon Springs

The fountain also has pools of water implemented to represent the lakes of Central Florida.

The Spring’s boil at DeLeon Springs State Recreation Area is a natural fountain, which produces approximately nineteen million gallons of crystal clear water daily from the subterranean Floridian Aquifer. The Springs is reputably the “Fountain of Youth” sought by the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce deLeon. Historians believe that this spring began flowing around 4000 BC, six milleniums ago. Long the center of human activity, today the Spring is visited by thousands of park guests who swim, fish and paddle canoes in its beautiful natural surroundings.

The Spring’s bulkhead was recently reconstructed under the design services of Herbert•Halback, Inc. The previous existing bulkhead was failing and needed to be replaced with a new structure which would add a central waterfall spillway reminiscent of a previously existing waterfall spillway when the Spring was a popular health resort at the turn of the century. Today, approximately 13,000 GPM of water flow over the central spillway of the bulkhead on its way down Spring Garden Creek to become part of the great St. Johns River flowing north to the Atlantic Ocean. This same water evaporates into the atmosphere and returns inland as rain, which seeps back into the Floridian Aquifer. As an example of a small part of nature’s grand hydrologic cycle, I have included this “natural fountain” in this article as a humbling contrast to the man made “architectural fountain” – how much more efficient the ability of nature to recycle and display water than man’s innovative, but limited technology to interpret her efforts.

Architectural Fountains Have a Limited Life

Approximately 13,000 gallons per minute of water flows over the central spillway of De Leon Springs. The water is supplied through the spring's boil of clean water welling up from the subterranean Floridian aquifer, which began flowing around 4000 B.C.

Since most architectural fountains are man made constructions, they tend to have limited life spans due to deterioration of structure or breakdown of the circulation system. They often require intense maintenance and upkeep in order to assure that they function properly.

As part of the creative process, a fountain designer must be prepared to accept the potential realities of changes never envisioned or intended by the design. In doing this, one is better prepared to overcome the potential disappointments associated with the maturation of your offspring.

High pressured mist nozzles periodically create clouds of fog at the cypress dome of the Orange County Regional History Center. The cypress dome effect was used because it was a unique representation of the regional environment.

So why do we create fountains? What is their value? We acknowledge that the display of water is a powerful design element and symbol for all mankind to celebrate a unique and precious element; water. Vital to all life forms, it is the common bond and continuum. Fountain structures come and go due to a limited life-span; their prototypes are recreated and thus reborn. It is the miraculous gift of water itself that lives on; the same molecular elements of water that flowed in fountains of the past flow out of ours today and eventually out of those of tomorrow.

A bronze alligator was added for decorative purposes.