Engineering Fountain

The Purdue Mall Water Sculpture, often referred to as the Engineering Fountain, is a water sculpture and fountain located at the main campus of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. The sculpture is positioned in the heart of campus on the Purdue Mall. Designed by Robert Youngman, the fountain was a gift from the class of 1939. As a result of its benefactors, the fountain is often referred to as the Class of '39 Water Sculpture. The fountain was officially dedicated to the university in 1989 during homecoming on the fiftieth anniversary of the class of 1939.

The Engineering Fountain was designed by Robert Youngman. The idea for the design was sketched on a napkin at a casual meeting over coffee in the Purdue Memorial Union. The fountain has four vertical parabolic structures with a large jet of water spraying up through the center. It is surrounded by benches for enjoying the fountain. Taresah Youngman, Robert's daughter, assisted in the project. It was never built with a fence around it or a pool for the water to collect, but rather a drain in the center to resupply the water to the main jet. The fountain stands 38 feet tall and is made of 228 tons of concrete. The total cost of the fountain is believed to be around $350,000. It sprays 588 gallons of water per minute into the air while it is running. Jones & Phillips Associates, Inc.(Architectural and Specialty Lighting designers) worked with sculptor Youngman to create a series of lighting effects and a twenty minute lighting program orchestrated to the fountain water show. The fountain runs from the second week in April through the end of October or as weather permits.

The fountain is the iconic center of the Purdue Mall, which is often informally referred as the Engineering Mall due to the proximity of the engineering-related buildings around the mall. Originally built with an open jet shooting straight up into the air, students soon made the tradition of running through the fountain on warm days. Due to potential injuries, the University, much to the dismay of the students, placed a mirrored cylinder around the jet. This cylinder has not stopped students from participating in the tradition of a fountain run on warm days after class or after the summer graduation ceremonies. The aforementioned cylinder has been henceforth dubbed the "Fountain Condom" by students. The name was given because the cylinder is a "cylindrical protective covering used to prevent injury".

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
Jessica Barlow
4 May 2013
Sunny day + mist from the fountain = beautiful afternoon.
Purdue University
8 May 2012
Before graduating, you have to do a fountain run through the Engineering Fountain!
Purdue University Manager
Before graduating, you have to do a fountain run through the Engineering Fountain!
Load more comments
foursquare.com
8.0/10
4,319 people have been here
Map
610 Purdue Mall, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA Get directions
Thu-Fri 9:00 AM–6:00 PM
Sat 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Sun 2:00 PM–3:00 PM
Mon 9:00 AM–6:00 PM
Tue 8:00 AM–6:00 PM

Engineering Fountain on Foursquare

Engineering Fountain on Facebook

Other languages

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
Hampton Inn and Suites West Lafayette

starting $185

HILTON GARDEN INN WEST LAFAYETTE WABASH LANDING

starting $0

Hilton Garden Inn West Lafayette Wabash Landing

starting $205

Holiday Inn Lafayette-City Centre

starting $155

Four Points by Sheraton West Lafayette

starting $98

Campus Inn

starting $60

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Grissom Air Museum

Шаблон:Infobox Museum The G

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Indianapolis Motor Speedway

IRL IndyCar SeriesIndianapolis 500-Mile Race

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Landmark for Peace Memorial

The Landmark for Peace Memorial is a memorial sculpture at Dr. Martin

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Indianapolis Zoo

The Indianapolis Zoo in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, first

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Medal of Honor Memorial

The Medal of Honor Memorial is a monument located in Indianapolis,

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Depew Memorial Fountain

Depew Memorial Fountain is a freestanding fountain completed in 1919

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Williamsport Falls

Williamsport Falls is a waterfall near the center of the town of

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Ann Dancing

Ann Dancing is an artwork created in 2007 by Julian Opie (born 1958,

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Jet d'Eau

The Jet d'Eau, or water-jet, is a large fountain in Geneva,

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Buckingham Fountain

Buckingham Fountain is a Chicago landmark in Grant Park which was

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Centennial Flame

Located on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the Centennial

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Fountains of Bellagio

REDIRECT Bellagio (resort)#Fountains of Bellagio

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi

The Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi or 'Fountain of the Four Rivers'

See all similar places