Wednesday, May 31, 2006

The Inverted Fountain


As the Arizona summer settles in and turns the brain to custard, I think on days and nights back in Los Angeles spent sitting in and around the Inverted Fountain at UCLA.

The Inverted Fountain sits on the far east side of the campus.
The fountain's architects/designers (I believe, primarily, Howard Troller of Jere Hazlett)were challenged to come up with a fountain that departed from the usual water-shooting-upward format. Howard Troller was inspired by the potholes and hotsprings in the bubbling waters of Yellowstone Park;
"Unlike traditional fountains, the water of the Inverted Fountain flows inward across a bed of mutli-colored rocks, handpicked by Troller in Claremont, Calif. The current then meets at an off-center well, creating a miniature waterfall plunging into a 12-foot wide, 5-foot deep center that recirculates the water at 10,000 gallons per minute. The water’s movement adds a natural, yet distinct, sound to the south end of campus –that of a flowing mountain stream." (this from http://www.uclahistoryproject.ucla.edu/Fun/ThisMonth

On the periphery of the fountain was an inset area that was perfect for sitting and letting the water wash over you. That fountain was a nourishing source, vivid to this day, that I, and I'm sure countless others can at least return to in their imagination.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Tom- - Tim C

Tom the Piper's Son said...

Tim -
Great to hear from you! I'm heading for Italy in about 7hrs...I don't know that i'll find a Clohessy's Pub there but i hope to foster Irish and Italian goodwill...(and be the quiet American of course - no shorts in churches!)

Anonymous said...

there's one with a similar idea at Thanksgiving Plaza in Dallas. Saw it on a business trip. Water runs down these rocks and gets cycled back to the top.

-Matthew