Hardscape plaza
These fountains help with the flow of people and keep cars from getting too close to the auditorium for safety. The space is an active drop off and valet area and is very frequently turned into an urban plaza for use before events in the arena.
The hardscape in this plaza is made up entire of concrete unit pavers, a style known as Belgium cobble. It is not rough and any shoe can walk on it—from stilettos to sneakers. It is very safe and imitates a stone street or plaza. For the crosswalks, those are all walk-pavers. LKC used paver stones that look like cleft rock. These pavers are in the non-vehicular zones so the texture and type of paver visually indicate they are in a pedestrian zone. The visual cues for pedestrians and vehicles come from the hardscape pavers. In addition, there are crash-rated bollard barricades positioned strategically near the fountains, which are also strong enough to prevent a runaway vehicle from inadvertently making its way toward the building.
The entire approach to the plaza with the fountains is also designed for what is known as “progressive realization.” Visitors cannot see the panther fountain all at once. There are round-abouts and an elliptical lawn that slows the approach to the plaza and challenges the visual perspective from multiple viewpoints as people approach the panther from the street. It is a negotiated centrepiece, meaning one needs to negotiate and head toward the panther, making it a visual reward.
Collaborative team
It is important to note that this university has a very robust use of water features throughout the campus. In fact, there is a water feature at every roundabout on campus. There are at least 20 water features including fountains, sequencing fountains, waterfall fountains, reflecting pools and more. These three fountains are some of the most impressive, but they had to also align with the other fountains on campus.
The successful completion of the Qubein Arena Panther Fountain project was the result of close collaboration among multiple entities. High Point University, LKC Engineering, Pfists Inc., and Fountain People (FP) worked together to bring the project to life. Smith & Jennings, Inc. served as the general contractor for the fountain, and they had previously collaborated with the team on other projects within the university campus.
Notes
1 For more information about the Qubein Arena and Conference Center, visit www.highpoint.edu/arena/.
2 To view the project on Codaworx, see www.codaworx.com/projects/panther-fountain-for-qubein-arena/.
3 About the sculptor: Brian Keith, the artist behind the panther sculpture, is responsible for the creation and casting of the 6 m (20 ft) bronze sculpture. To learn more about him and see his work, visit briankeithfineart.com/qubein-arena-panther-fountain.
Author
Bryan Had is regional sales manager/engineer for Fountain People, a commercial fountain manufacturing and design firm located in San Marcos, Texas.
