The Winger » Bye Bye Fountain

Bye Bye Fountain

February 8, 2008 at 11:31 pm · Filed under SLOAN, dance, architecture, lincoln center, photographs, redevelopment

KRISTIN SLOAN
New York City Ballet
New York, NY USA
BIO | POSTS

Bye bye old fountain!

For some reason I feel a little attached to the older pieces of Lincoln Center that are getting traded out for the new. Don’t get me wrong, I couldn’t be more excited that the complex is getting a beautiful redesign/face-lift, but having spent the past 13 years of my life walking through this place, and thinking about the history of what’s happened here before me…

I think about 7 years ago (maybe?) they took out the darker colored granite of Josie Robertson plaza (where the fountain is) and replaced it with concrete. The jack-hammered site was completely open, with granite chunks like Oreo cookie crumbles scattered all over the place. I reached down, picked up a little chunk, and it’s been in my theater case ever since.

A bird’s eye view of the Promenade of our theater. If you get the chance, try to come early for a show to go up to the various levels of the photo exhibit. It’s really interesting!

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SanderO said,

February 9, 2008 @ 2:14 am

I haven’t see the proposal for the face lift of Lincoln Center. I can say, that the complex is a disaster from an architectural perspective with only a few features of merit. Gordon Bunshaft did the only good work there.

I love the place because of the performances that take place there, but it sure is an embarrassment in my opinion from an architecture perspective. And parts are offensive and ugly!

I hope the new design is something timeless and not trendy as the last one was. It won’t come a day too soon.

Sandi said,

February 9, 2008 @ 4:13 am

They’re getting rid of the fountain??? Wow. that is a huge part of my childhood and high school etc.. The first year I attended PCS, they tromped the entire school over there to take a picture by the fountain. I will really miss it.

philip said,

February 9, 2008 @ 5:01 am

Kristin, I have spent many NYCB intermissions over the years wandering the various Promenade levels looking at the photographs on display and I never tire of them. I love the State Theatre much more than the Met because the public areas are more spacious and airy and the auditorium has a sort of wrap-around coziness that the Met totally lacks. Just tonight while Sarah & I were there I was thinking how much I enjoy being there and how connected I feel to the dancers and the dance.

Veronica Moretti Niebuhr said,

February 9, 2008 @ 12:30 pm

That fountain is like an old friend!

SanderO said,

February 9, 2008 @ 1:42 pm

Fountains are such a powerful metaphor in urban architecture. It would a be a shame to not have a fountain (I don’t know what the plan is). Moving water, playing with light and air, bringing forth the delicious calming sounds is so relaxing in the city and such a wonderful anchor and metaphor for the performing arts. I hope they give us a fountain.

Sarah said,

February 9, 2008 @ 2:04 pm

They’re not taking away the fountain for good.

You can go to http://www.lincolncenter.org/load_screen.asp?screen=transforming for more information!

I need the fountain… I kissed a boy by that fountain when I was 14 and I NEED it in my life!

kristin sloan said,

February 9, 2008 @ 3:56 pm

Sorry I didn’t mean to make anyone think that the fountain was not coming back!
there will be a new, very similar one, but it will be all new.
:)

SanderO said,

February 9, 2008 @ 7:37 pm

The problem is the Met Opera, Avery Fisher and NY State Theater are extremely ugly buildings for any number of reasons. It’s hard to find anything to like about them and I suspect they are remaining. Bad move.

And with this face lift, we will have to suffer this for decades more I suspect.

Those three buildings really need to be radically re done, or torn done and new designs erected.

My two cents.

jennifer said,

February 12, 2008 @ 12:27 am

i’ve met many a friend at the fountain before the ballet/opera/nyphil concert. glad to see it’ll still be there, with a new look

Miguel Gonzalez said,

February 13, 2008 @ 7:17 am

Kristin - thank you for the heads up. I’ve had the fortune of viewing the fountain 90-degrees to the right from high up in One Lincoln Plaza and had no idea why they walled off the area (I thought they were just getting ready for today’s ice storm or something like that)

Keep up the great Winger work…

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