Fountains For Houston

[Marcus Allen]

I wonder. Because we are becoming a world renowned city, if we should have an identifying element to our city. Believe it or not, we are considered a sister city to Paris. SO, why not have a consortium which places amazing fountains in key places around our fair city. Thoughts? We have some really nice ones, but if some sort of cause helped the Fountains of Houston organization, where would you all like to see ground breaking fountains in Houston?

[trymahjong]

This seems like a novel idea--

 

[Houston19514]

I wonder. Because we are becoming a world renowned city, if we should have an identifying element to our city. Believe it or not, we are considered a sister city to Paris. SO, why not have a consortium which places amazing fountains in key places around our fair city. Thoughts? We have some really nice ones, but if some sort of cause helped the Fountains of Houston organization, where would you all like to see ground breaking fountains in Houston?

 

Why do you say we are considered a sister city to Paris?

 

[lockmat]

Why do you say we are considered a sister city to Paris?

The astrodome?

[Montrose1100]

Houston is actually a sister city to Nice in France.

[Houston19514]

Houston is actually a sister city to Nice in France.

 

Correct, and it is not a sister city to Paris.  Hence my question of the OP'er

 

[trymahjong]

if the thought is to have something that "brands" Houston and does it with water features. . . . . . maybe all those left over David Adickes presidential statues that you see off Summer street studio space could be used in some way?

[Subdude]

It's a brilliant idea.  I would love a bunch of really memorable fountains (and after all we are rarely hurting for water).  Since it often seems to figure into Houston photography, maybe Sam Houston Park adjoining downtown?

 

 

 

[august948]

Well...we do have Fountainview. 

[Naviguessor]

Fountainview...does it have one??

A couple/few along a renewed Post Oak streetscape would be very nice. Some pedestrians may even eventually enjoy them.

[august948]

Fountainview...does it have one??

A couple/few along a renewed Post Oak streetscape would be very nice. Some pedestrians may even eventually enjoy them.

 

Not one...three.  I think they may have been built by the developer of the apartments that line the street between Burgoyne and Inwood.

 

[livincinco]

I kind of liked the concept behind Cotswolds where they were a little more subtle. How about Cotswolds - the new millennia?

[trymahjong]

How about using the "M" at the intersection of Elgin Westheimer and Bagby

[Montrose1100]

Not one...three.  I think they may have been built by the developer of the apartments that line the street between Burgoyne and Inwood.

 

And they all are so well maintained and look like a million bucks. The pot holes on the street actually match their condition.

[KinkaidAlum]

Kansas City does fountains very well. Left a huge positive impression after my visit. 

[august948]

And they all are so well maintained and look like a million bucks. The pot holes on the street actually match their condition.

Yes, and that makes me wonder if they fall under the city's jurisdiction for maintenance since they are in the median. That sort of thing is why I was asking who is responsible for maintaining the new bagby street landscaping.

[Houston19514]

Kansas City does fountains very well. Left a huge positive impression after my visit. 

 

Really?   They like to call themselves the city of fountains or some such, but I've been to KC many many times and never saw any great number of fountains and cannot now recall any that were particularly noteworthy.  I personally think Houston already has KC beat in the fountain department.

[Subdude]

I kind of liked the concept behind Cotswolds where they were a little more subtle. How about Cotswolds - the new millennia?

 

Personally I would shoot for a LOT more elaborate than the Cotswolds ones.  

 

[august948]

Vegas fountains, baby! That's what we need.

[KinkaidAlum]

Really?   They like to call themselves the city of fountains or some such, but I've been to KC many many times and never saw any great number of fountains and cannot now recall any that were particularly noteworthy.  I personally think Houston already has KC beat in the fountain department.

 

www.kcfountains.com

 

Houston has some nice ones. I love the Wortham Fountain on Allen Pkwy and the Waterwall is amazing. The fountains at UH are fine. The flowing water at the Wortham Theater downtown is nice as well.

[Houston19514]

www.kcfountains.com

 

Houston has some nice ones. I love the Wortham Fountain on Allen Pkwy and the Waterwall is amazing. The fountains at UH are fine. The flowing water at the Wortham Theater downtown is nice as well.

 

I think we have KC beaten.  Would love to see a similar website for Houston.  Marcus Allen, that should be the first step in your plan. Inventory and promote what we already have.  :-)

 

 

I'll start the inventory:

 

1. Scanlan Fountain (Sam Houston Park, downtown)

2. Smith Fountain (Smith at Clay, downtown)

3. Hermann Square (City Hall, downtown)

4. Main Street Square (downtown)

5.Tranquility Park (downtown)

6. Jones Plaza (downtown)

7. Downtown Aquarium water table (downtown)

8. Allen Center Courtyard (downtown)

9. Downtown Aquarium water wall (downtown)

10. Cotswold #1 (downtown)

11. Cotswold #2 (downtown)

12. Cotswold #3 (downtown)

13. Cotswold #4 (downtown)

14. Cotswold #5 (downtown)

15. Cotswold #6 (downtown)

16. Cotswold #7 (downtown)

17. Cotswold #8 (downtown)

18. Cotswold #9 (downtown)

19. Misttree (Discovery Green, downtown)

20. Water jet table (Discovery Green, downtown)

21. 1100 Louisiana fountain (downtown)

22. Wells Fargo Plaza water wall (downtown)

23. Sesquicentennial Park (downtown)

24. Wortham Fountain (Buffalo Bayou Park)

25. Mecom Fountain (Museum District)

26. Wortham Park fountain (Medical Center)

27. Medical Center Commons water wall (Medical Center)

28. HMNS sundial fountain (Museum Disrict)

29. HMNI floating sphere fountain (Museum District)

30. Hermann Park Reflecting pool fountain (Museum District)

31. Hermann Park McGovern Lake fountain (Museum District)

32. George Hermann statue fountain (Museum District)

33. Midtown Square (midtown)

34. South Main Baptist (midtown)

35. Bloch Cancer Survivors Plaza fountain (Museum District)

36. MFAH entry plaza fountain (Museum District)

37. MFAH outdoor dining fountain (Museum District)

38. Caruth Plaza fountain (Reliant Park)

39. Brockman Hall for Physics (Rice U)

40. Jones College Fountain (Rice U)

41. Brochstein Pavilion fountain (Rice U)

42. Jamail Plaza (Rice U)

43. Charlotte Allen Fountain (Baldwin Park, midtown)

44. The Transco Waterwall (Uptown)

45. Hidalgo Park fountain (Uptown)

46. Post Oak Central fountain (Uptown)

47. Uptown Park fountain (Uptown)

48. Royal Sonesta (Uptown)

49. Lakes on Post Oak (Uptown)

50. America Tower (Allen Parkway)

51. Amli (?) apartments (Allen Parkway)

52. Humble Tower hotel building fountain (downtown)

53. Market Square 9/11 fountain (downtown)

54. Market Square table fountain (downtown)

55. Root Memorial Square (downtown)

56. Sisters of Charity Park (downtown)

57. Contemporary Arts Museum (Museum District)

58. Christ Church Cathedral (downtown)

 

 

Edited October 17, 2013 by Houston19514

[lockmat]

www.kcfountains.com

Houston has some nice ones. I love the Wortham Fountain on Allen Pkwy and the Waterwall is amazing. The fountains at UH are fine. The flowing water at the Wortham Theater downtown is nice as well.

I think we have KC beaten. Would love to see a similar website for Houston. Marcus Allen, that should be the first step in your plan. Inventory and promote what we already have. :-)

I'll start the inventory:

1. Scanlan Fountain (Sam Houston Park, downtown)

2. Smith Fountain (Smith at Clay, downtown)

3. Hermann Square (City Hall, downtown)

4. Main Street Square (downtown)

5.Tranquility Park (downtown)

6. Jones Plaza (downtown)

7. Downtown Aquarium water table (downtown)

8. Allen Center Courtyard (downtown)

9. Downtown Aquarium water wall (downtown)

10. Cotswold #1 (downtown)

11. Cotswold #2 (downtown)

12. Cotswold #3 (downtown)

13. Cotswold #4 (downtown)

14. Cotswold #5 (downtown)

15. Cotswold #6 (downtown)

16. Cotswold #7 (downtown)

17. Cotswold #8 (downtown)

18. Cotswold #9 (downtown)

19. Misttree (Discovery Green, downtown)

20. Water jet table (Discovery Green, downtown)

21. 1100 Louisiana fountain (downtown)

22. Wells Fargo Plaza water wall (downtown)

23. Sesquicentennial Park (downtown)

24. Wortham Fountain (Buffalo Bayou Park)

25. Mecom Fountain (Museum District)

26. Wortham Park fountain (Medical Center)

27. Medical Center Commons water wall (Medical Center)

28. HMNS sundial fountain (Museum Disrict)

29. HMNI floating sphere fountain (Museum District)

30. Hermann Park Reflecting pool fountain (Museum District)

31. Hermann Park McGovern Lake fountain (Museum District)

32. George Hermann statue fountain (Museum District)

33. Midtown Square (midtown)

34. South Main Baptist (midtown)

35. Bloch Cancer Survivors Plaza fountain (Museum District)

36. MFAH entry plaza fountain (Museum District)

37. MFAH outdoor dining fountain (Museum District)

38. Caruth Plaza fountain (Reliant Park)

39. Brockman Hall for Physics (Rice U)

40. Jones College Fountain (Rice U)

41. Brochstein Pavilion fountain (Rice U)

42. Jamail Plaza (Rice U)

43. Charlotte Allen Fountain (Baldwin Park, midtown)

44. The Transco Waterwall (Uptown)

45. Hidalgo Park fountain (Uptown)

46. Post Oak Central fountain (Uptown)

47. Uptown Park fountain (Uptown)

48. Royal Sonesta (Uptown)

49. Lakes on Post Oak (Uptown)

50. America Tower (Allen Parkway)

51. Amli (?) apartments (Allen Parkway)

52. Humble Tower hotel building fountain (downtown)

53. Market Square 9/11 fountain (downtown)

54. Market Square table fountain (downtown)

55. Root Memorial Square (downtown)

56. Sisters of Charity Park (downtown)

57. Contemporary Arts Museum (Museum District)

58. Christ Church Cathedral (downtown)

How in the world do you know that list? Did you forget to put the wiki link or what?

[Houston19514]

I just wrote it from a combination of memory and a little bit of google searching.  I invite contributions of additional fountains I have overlooked/haven't gotten to.

[ChannelTwoNews]

I just wrote it from a combination of memory and a little bit of google searching.  I invite contributions of additional fountains I have overlooked/haven't gotten to.

 

One I can think of is the fountain at the center of Regency Square, off the Southwest Freeway. It is in the center of Savoy Drive and is in the middle of a somewhat informal traffic circle. It isn't a small fountain either...

[infinite_jim]

59. Cullen Plaza fountain (UH)

[august948]

59. Cullen Plaza fountain (UH)

That's a great one. Nearby there's another in front of the UH library.

[Houston19514]

1. Scanlan Fountain (Sam Houston Park, downtown)

2. Smith Fountain (Smith at Clay, downtown)

3. Hermann Square (City Hall, downtown)

4. Main Street Square (downtown)

5.Tranquility Park (downtown)

6. Jones Plaza (downtown)

7. Downtown Aquarium water table (downtown)

8. Allen Center Courtyard (downtown)

9. Downtown Aquarium water wall (downtown)

10. Cotswold #1 (downtown)

11. Cotswold #2 (downtown)

12. Cotswold #3 (downtown)

13. Cotswold #4 (downtown)

14. Cotswold #5 (downtown)

15. Cotswold #6 (downtown)

16. Cotswold #7 (downtown)

17. Cotswold #8 (downtown)

18. Cotswold #9 (downtown)

19. Misttree (Discovery Green, downtown)

20. Water jet table (Discovery Green, downtown)

21. 1100 Louisiana fountain (downtown)

22. Wells Fargo Plaza water wall (downtown)

23. Sesquicentennial Park (downtown)

24. Wortham Fountain (Buffalo Bayou Park)

25. Mecom Fountain (Museum District)

26. Wortham Park fountain (Medical Center)

27. Medical Center Commons water wall (Medical Center)

28. HMNS sundial fountain (Museum Disrict)

29. HMNI floating sphere fountain (Museum District)

30. Hermann Park Reflecting pool fountain (Museum District)

31. Hermann Park McGovern Lake fountain (Museum District)

32. George Hermann statue fountain (Museum District)

33. Midtown Square (midtown)

34. South Main Baptist (midtown)

35. Bloch Cancer Survivors Plaza fountain (Museum District)

36. MFAH entry plaza fountain (Museum District)

37. MFAH outdoor dining fountain (Museum District)

38. Caruth Plaza fountain (Reliant Park)

39. Brockman Hall for Physics (Rice U)

40. Jones College Fountain (Rice U)

41. Brochstein Pavilion fountain (Rice U)

42. Jamail Plaza (Rice U)

43. Charlotte Allen Fountain (Baldwin Park, midtown)

44. The Transco Waterwall (Uptown)

45. Hidalgo Park fountain (Uptown)

46. Post Oak Central fountain (Uptown)

47. Uptown Park fountain (Uptown)

48. Royal Sonesta (Uptown)

49. Lakes on Post Oak (Uptown)

50. America Tower (Allen Parkway)

51. Amli (?) apartments (Allen Parkway)

52. Humble Tower hotel building fountain (downtown)

53. Market Square 9/11 fountain (downtown)

54. Market Square table fountain (downtown)

55. Root Memorial Square (downtown)

56. Sisters of Charity Park (downtown)

57. Contemporary Arts Museum (Museum District)

58. Christ Church Cathedral (downtown)

59. Cullen Plaza Fountain (UH)

60. MD Anderson LIbrary fountain (UH)

61. The Williams Fountain (HBU)

62.Farish Hall fountain (UH)

63. Regency Square

64. Fountainview 1

65. Fountainview 2

66. Fountainview 3

67. Waterway Square fountain 1 (The Woodlands)

68. Market Square fountain (The Woodlands)

69. Woodlands Waterway fountain (The Woodlands)

70. Waterway Square fountain 2 (The Woodlands)

71. City Centre Plaza fountain (City Centre)

Edited October 20, 2013 by Houston19514

[Montrose1100]

Please don't include 64-66. At least not the last one. It's a small platform with just a mini white picket fence. Seriously... That would be like including the mini golf fountain at Zuma Fun Center.

[infinite_jim]

34b. or 72. Peggy's Point Plaza (midtown) 

[arche_757]

I don't think we can really count fountains at apartment complexes or corporate buildings as public.  If that is the case then there are thousands more fountains all around in the myriad retention ponds, residential developments out in the "burbs" and elsewhere.