Lovejoy Fountain Park

The concrete basins of Lovejoy Fountain Park rise in jagged, cascading tiers, mimicking the high mountain streams of the Oregon wilderness. Lawrence Halprin designed the fountain in nineteen sixty-six to bring the experience of the Cascade Mountains into the city. During the opening, thousands of people waded into the recirculating water despite the city planners' concerns about safety and maintenance. The park remains a sprawling, brutalist sculpture where water constantly spills over concrete ledges, defying the quiet rhythm of the surrounding downtown streets.