Wood Plaza Fountain

Wood Plaza Fountain

Outdoor Sculpture - Water Feature/Fountain

Email: llord@indyarts.org

 (317) 631-3301 ext. 214

 735 W. New York St., Indianapolis, IN, 46202

The Wood Fountain is an outdoor public architectural sitework on Indiana University-Purdue University’s campus. The campus is located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Wood Fountain is commissioned by IUPUI (Indianapolis University – Purdue University) and completed in 1995. Singh Associates in New York City designed the sculpture, while Tom Fansler III manages the fountain. The purpose of this artwork, according to the Smock Fansler website, was to provide “better places to live,” and bring “spaces between buildings and the elements that tie them together…”

The sitework used stone to mimic a pyramid in the shape of a diamond. It sits on IUPUI’s campus along New York St with the pathways surrounding made out of brick. According to the IUPUI’s website, the artwork “is 100 feet long on each of its four sides.” There are four levels to the piece with nine slight indentations along each siding. In addition, there are triangles that have been sculpted in to the stone so that water will come down to the base. On the proper front, there is a bronze memorial plaque at the bottom. It reads:
THE WOOD PLAZA DEDICATED JUNE 26, 1995 THIS PLAZA WAS NAMED IN GRATEFUL RECOGNITION OF THE SUPPORT OF BILLIE LOU & RICHARD D. WOOD

The Wood Fountain is located at The Wood Plaza, which is a place on IUPUI’s campus where social events such as the Indy Jazzfest and Explore IUPUI are held. The Wood Plaza was named after an Eli Lilly chief executor, Robert D. Wood and his wife Billie Lou Wood. According to IUPUI’s Jaguar Spirit online source, “the Wood Plaza was designed on the same axis of University Library and intended to complement the library architecturally.” In a newsletter from IUPUI’s Chancellor in December 1996, an award was given from the “local chapter of the American Institute of Architects…with an Achievement award for their design, construction and enhancement of the physical and visual environments of Marion County.” The importance of this recognition gives insight into how valuable the Wood Plaza is, not only to the IUPUI Campus, but to the community.

Quoted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_Fountain_at_IUPUI

Date created: 1995

Location Info

735 W. New York St.

735 W. New York St., Indianapolis, IN, 46202