At the Chronicle of Higher Education, UCLA’s dean of social sciences wrote about the role of fountains on university campuses and the value they bring. However, he posed an interesting question:
Ironically, fountains have become ubiquitous, albeit in lesser forms. Mass-produced, faux-Rococo fountains dot suburban yards and supermarkets. Desktop Zen pools spout water through bamboo colored plastic piping, keeping shiny marbles spinning. Shopping malls pump lighted water over floor-to-ceiling slabs of slate. Do we risk burning out on them?
As landscape architects, what role do fountains play in your designs? Does the widespread use of reduced-quality fountains desensitize the public to true works of art or trigger a greater appreciation? Let us know in the comments.
Photo: Harvard University’s Tanner Fountain by Alan Ward
