OTL’s Role:
Cowles Commons
LOCATION
Des Moines, Iowa
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
The Weitz Company
DESIGNER
Fluidity Design Consultants
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Ken Smith Workshop and RDG Planning & Design
PROJECT OVERVIEW
- Water Feature Construction
- Mechanical Systems
- Electrical Systems
- Control Systems
- Interactive Fountain
In downtown Des Moines, Iowa, the renovated Lauridsen Fountain anchors Cowles Commons with colorful arching jets that define a bold new vision for the plaza. Spanning 120 by 50 feet across a zero-depth basin, this interactive water feature was OTL’s second project in Iowa.
Now, that fountain gives the plaza’s red carpet granite and brick surface a lively centerpiece for concerts, festivals and everyday gatherings.
PROJECT
CHALLENGE
Des Moines Performing Arts wanted Cowles Commons to feel like a true civic landmark, one built to host outdoor concerts and festivals while inviting everyday pedestrians to interact with it up close.
That meant building an illuminated water tunnel ranging from two to 20 feet high, safe enough for pedestrians to wade into and explore without hesitation.
OTL’S
SOLUTION
OTL completed all mechanical, electrical, control systems, lighting and finish materials for the fountain.
Seventeen nozzles and 56 LED lights combine to create an undulating water tunnel, its individual sprays choreographed in succession to roll like waves across the plaza.
PROJECT
IMPACT
Pedestrians now interact with illuminated water rather than simply watching from the sidelines, exactly the kind of hands-on moment for which Cowles Commons was built. Paired with its red carpet surface for concerts and festivals, the fountain has helped redefine downtown Des Moines as a destination worth visiting.
