The Vineyards at Porter Ranch

Image Courtesy of Architects Orange and Shapell Properties

Inspired by a National Memorial:
OTL Takes Experiential Retail to New Heights with Cascading Water Features

Los Angeles is home to some of the most iconic retail centers in the nation – though residents and visitors to the region’s North Valley have long had to contend with the notorious Los Angeles traffic to visit them. In March 2019, a new experiential retail, lifestyle, and entertainment destination will bring world-class shopping to Porter Ranch, a welcome addition to the neighborhood.

The Vineyards at Porter Ranch, managed by Shapell Properties, is a 220,000-square foot lifestyle center and will offer guests an experience inspired by California’s elegant and eclectic wine-making regions.

The Vineyards will pamper and entertain its guests with an array of pedestrian amenities, play areas, gathering/event spaces, dining experiences, and two fountains built by Outside the Lines (OTL).

In partnership with Moorefield Construction, Inc., OTL worked with landscape architect LRM Landscape Architecture and project architect Architects Orange to bring this vision to life.

The client envisioned an iconic fountain featuring a cascading water effect inspired by and paying homage to the water flow at the World Trade Center (WTC) Memorial Fountain in New York City.

To accomplish this, OTL designed a 44-foot long ‘L’ shaped stainless-steel weir that re-creates the water effect experienced at the larger-scale memorial.

During planning, OTL’s artisans created a custom mock-up that was designed, constructed, tested, and shared with the client before fabrication to ensure that the effect would achieve all project goals.

One primary variation between the new fountain at The Vineyards and the one at the WTC Memorial is a difference in scale; as a result, OTL carefully refined the detailing of the texture on the weir in order to create an effect that is similar to the national memorial and recognizable to the general public.

To create the effect successfully, the weir must be perfectly leveled and free of warpage.  The team implemented adjustable supports spaced underneath the weir to achieve this perfect leveling after installation.

The OTL team also designed and constructed a second fountain within the lifestyle center to embody the beauty of reflection. OTL designed this fountain with infinity weirs and custom SS receivers, creating five water spouts that appear to flow into a lower, static basin without creating any splash, ripples or waves. By creatively integrating static and dynamic water flow, the team accomplished a powerful balance of movement and stillness that guests will enjoy for years to come.

The Vineyards at Porter Ranch is located at 19950 Rinaldi Street in Los Angeles, California. More information on the retail center is available at www.thevineyards.com.