Engineering Fountain
Encyclopedia
The Purdue Mall Water Sculpture, often referred to as the Engineering Fountain, is a water sculpture and fountain located at the main campus of Purdue University
in West Lafayette
, Indiana
. The sculpture is positioned in the heart of campus on the Purdue Mall. Designed by Robert Youngman, the fountain
was a gift from the class of 1939 and as a result of its benefactors, the fountain is often referred to as the Class of '39 Water Sculpture.
. Youngman was a professor at the University of Illinois and completed a large number of concrete sculptures between 1962 and 1995. The fountain was officially dedicated to the university in 1989 during homecoming on the fiftieth anniversary of the class of 1939. Taresah Youngman, Robert's daughter, assisted in the project. Jones & Phillips Associates, Inc.(Architectural and Specialty Lighting designers) worked with sculptor Youngman to create a series of lighting effects and a twenty minute lighting program orchestrated to the fountain water show. The fountain runs from the second week in April through the end of October or as weather permits. The total cost of the fountain is believed to be around $350,000.
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
in West Lafayette
West Lafayette, Indiana
As of the census of 2010, there were 29,596 people, 12,591 households, and 3,588 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,381.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 74.3% White, 17.3% Asian, 2.7% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.03% Pacific...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. The sculpture is positioned in the heart of campus on the Purdue Mall. Designed by Robert Youngman, the fountain
Fountain
A fountain is a piece of architecture which pours water into a basin or jets it into the air either to supply drinking water or for decorative or dramatic effect....
was a gift from the class of 1939 and as a result of its benefactors, the fountain is often referred to as the Class of '39 Water Sculpture.
Description
The fountain has four vertical parabolic structures with a large jet of water spraying up through the center. It is surrounded by benches that can be used by visitors to enjoy the fountain. It stands 38 feet tall and is made of 228 tons of concrete. The fountain has neither a fence around it nor a pool to collect the water. Rather, the water drains though a metal grate set into the ground underneath it. A later addition to the fountain is a mirrored steel cylinder around the jet.Background
The idea for the design was sketched on a napkin when Robert Youngman was at a casual meeting over coffee in the Purdue Memorial UnionPurdue Memorial Union
The Purdue Memorial Union is a student union building located on the Purdue University campus in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. It opened in 1924 as a memorial to the Purdue students who had fought in World War I...
. Youngman was a professor at the University of Illinois and completed a large number of concrete sculptures between 1962 and 1995. The fountain was officially dedicated to the university in 1989 during homecoming on the fiftieth anniversary of the class of 1939. Taresah Youngman, Robert's daughter, assisted in the project. Jones & Phillips Associates, Inc.(Architectural and Specialty Lighting designers) worked with sculptor Youngman to create a series of lighting effects and a twenty minute lighting program orchestrated to the fountain water show. The fountain runs from the second week in April through the end of October or as weather permits. The total cost of the fountain is believed to be around $350,000.
General information
The fountain is the iconic center of the Purdue Mall, which is often informally referred as the Engineering Mall due to the proximity of the engineering-related buildings around it. Originally built with an open jet that shoots 588 gallons of water per minute straight up into the air, students soon created the tradition of running through the fountain on warm days. The mirrored cylinder currently in place around the jet was installed by the university to prevent potential injuries incurred during fountain runs. This cylinder has not stopped students from participating in the tradition of a fountain run on warm days after class or after the summer graduation ceremonies.External links
- Purdue University Visual Arts Committee A list of public artwork on Purdue's campus
- Purdue Newsreel 1989: A New Face for an Old Friend. 23-minute video, beginning with three minutes about the fountain's dedication