November 11, 2021
Martin Aquatic’s Placemaking Fountain at Heart of Newly Opened Bell Tower Green
In what was once a public parking lot sits the City of Salisbury’s Bell Tower Green, a 3-acre downtown refuge that is so much more than just a park.
Bell Tower Green formally opened last month after more than two years of construction and four years of private fundraising and planning, offering the residents of Salisbury, NC, a spacious gathering place. In addition to its event lawn and amphitheater, gardens and playgrounds, one of the park’s impressive features is a water wall standing at 15 feet tall and stretching 72 feet long.
Designed by Martin Aquatic, the new water feature includes a stacked stone granite face that agitates the water cascading down, creating a dramatic look from such a height. In front of the water wall, nearly 20 nozzles spray water as high as four feet to add an engaging play space for children and families. At night, the fountain illuminates with color-changing LED lights.
The unique placement for this water wall positions it on the back side of the park’s restroom facility building, which brings a peaceful, ambient noise to this setting. As well, it serves to disguise the rest of the mechanical space which would have been left out in the open had this been a freestanding water feature.
Thoughtful consideration for the entire park was master planned by LandDesign, which had partnered with the Bell Tower Green Park nonprofit organization since early 2017. But the park’s greatest supporters have been members of the community, who helped raise $13 million for the park’s construction mostly from private donations.
To see the Bell Tower Green’s fountain in action, check out our video at https://vimeo.com/637497993.
