California's Outdoor Fountains Research and Results
California's Outdoor Fountains Research and Results In February 2014, a levy on sugar-sweetened beverages was approved in Berkley, CA, making it the first city in the United States to bring in such a regulation. By making soda more expensive, it’s thought that parents will make better choices for what their children drink, like water for instance. First, the city conducted research to evaluate whether citizens had proper access to functioning drinking water fountains. Facts on the city’s drinking water fountains were pulled together using a GPS created exclusively for the research. This info was cross-referenced with demographic records on race and income obtained from the US Census Community Study database. Comparisons were made between the location and demographic data, exposing whether class differences affected access to clean, functional water fountains. They were in a position to confirm the demographics of areas surrounding established fountains, as well as the tidiness and maintenance of fountains across different neighborhoods. The fact that the fountains were operating was not a guarantee that they were well-maintained, since quite a few were in need of maintenance and repair.Outdoor Wall Fountains: The Many Styles on the Market
Outdoor Wall Fountains: The Many Styles on the Market
You can design a place to relax as well as add a touch of style to your porch or yard with a wall fountain since they are excellent adornments to fit into small space. The multitude of styles in outdoor wall fountains, including traditional, classic, contemporary, or Asian, means that you can find the one suitable to your wishes. Your preferences determine the type you buy so while there may not be a prefabricated fountain to suit you, you do have the option of having a custom made one. There are two distinct styles of fountains you can buy: mounted and free-standing. Small, self-contained versions can be placed on a wall are called mounted wall fountains. Ordinarily made of resin (to resemble stone) or fiber glass, these types of fountains are lightweight and easy to hang. Large-sized free-standing wall fountains, often referred to as floor fountains, have their basins located on the floor and a flat side leaning on a wall. Generally made of cast stone, this type of water feature is not limited in weight.
It is a good idea to incorporate a custom-made fountain into a new or existing wall, something often recommended by landscape professionals. Hiring an expert mason is your best option to build the basin and install the necessary plumbing. A fountain mask or a spout also needs to be integrated into the wall. A tailor-made wall fountain blends into the landscape instead of standing out because it was a later addition, which adds to a cohesive look.
Modern Garden Decor: Outdoor Fountains and their Beginnings
Modern Garden Decor: Outdoor Fountains and their Beginnings The dramatic or decorative effect of a fountain is just one of the purposes it fulfills, in addition to providing drinking water and adding a decorative touch to your property.The primary purpose of a fountain was originally strictly functional. Cities, towns and villages made use of nearby aqueducts or springs to provide them with drinking water as well as water where they could bathe or wash. Until the late 19th, century most water fountains operated using gravity to allow water to flow or jet into the air, therefore, they needed a supply of water such as a reservoir or aqueduct located higher than the fountain. Fountains were an optimal source of water, and also served to adorn living areas and memorialize the designer. The main components used by the Romans to create their fountains were bronze or stone masks, mostly illustrating animals or heroes.
To replicate the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages introduced fountains to their designs. King Louis XIV of France wanted to demonstrate his superiority over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. Seventeen and 18 century Popes sought to laud their positions by including decorative baroque-style fountains at the point where restored Roman aqueducts arrived into the city.
Since indoor plumbing became the standard of the day for clean, drinking water, by the end of the 19th century urban fountains were no longer needed for this purpose and they became purely decorative. Impressive water effects and recycled water were made possible by switching the force of gravity with mechanical pumps.
Beautifying city parks, honoring people or events and entertaining, are some of the uses of modern-day fountains.
The History of Outdoor Water Fountains
The History of Outdoor Water Fountains Pope Nicholas V, himself a well educated man, ruled the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 to 1455 during which time he commissioned many translations of old classical Greek texts into Latin. In order to make Rome deserving of being the capital of the Christian world, the Pope decided to enhance the beauty of the city. Starting in 1453, the ruined ancient Roman aqueduct known as the Aqua Vergine which had brought fresh drinking water into the city from eight miles away, underwent repair at the behest of the Pope. Building a mostra, an imposing commemorative fountain built by ancient Romans to memorialize the entry point of an aqueduct, was a custom revived by Nicholas V. The Trevi Fountain now occupies the space previously filled with a wall fountain built by Leon Battista Albert, an architect commissioned by the Pope. The water which eventually supplied the Trevi Fountain as well as the renown baroque fountains in the Piazza del Popolo and Piazza Navona came from the modified aqueduct which he had renovated.Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Garden Fountains
Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Garden Fountains
There are countless celebrated fountains in Rome’s city center. Gian Lorenzo Bernini, one of the most brilliant sculptors and artists of the 17th century planned, created and built virtually all of them. Marks of his life's work are evident all through the avenues of Rome because, in addition to his skills as a water fountain builder, he was also a city builder. To totally exhibit their art, mainly in the form of public water fountains and water features, Bernini's father, a renowned Florentine sculptor, guided his young son, and they eventually moved in Rome. The young Bernini received encouragement from Popes and influential artists alike, and was an exceptional worker. At the start he was known for his sculptural abilities. Most famously in the Vatican, he utilized a base of expertise in ancient Greek architecture and melded it seamlessly with Roman marble. Although many artists had an influence on his work, Michelangelo had the most profound effect.