MEI Receives the 2020 Award of Merit – Water Structures Category
In 1984 I.M. Pei designed the iconic Fountain Place Office Building and Fountain Plaza in downtown Dallas, Texas.
As the new owner, Goddard Investments of Atlanta, Georgia selected a repair contractor to renovate and transform the 2-acre fountain plaza surrounding the 63-story skyscraper. The waterproofing membrane underlying the entire plaza had seriously deteriorated from aging, causing extensive damage to the underlying concrete support structure.
This renovation project required the rehabilitation of all thirteen original water fountains, including the concrete weir walls, suspended slabs, plaza pavers, perimeter planter boxes and the waterproofing membrane that protected the underground parking garage below the entire fountain plaza area.
Among the many challenges facing the concrete restoration process, massive amounts of water had to be contained while protecting the integrity of the entire garage structure. A seamless waterproof coating was selected and installed to provide water containment that was chemical and UV resistant while enhancing the overall aesthetics of the plaza.
Upon completion, Fountain Place Plaza was totally transformed to include four new greenspace areas for enjoying the fountains. New elevated pavers on pedestals were installed while a natural trough with glass handrails was incorporated as a major alteration to create a “babbling brook” along two exterior borders of the plaza.
During the initial stages of the renovation project, precast planter boxes were removed from the plaza perimeter. Removal of these planter boxes opened the view to reveal the expansive fountain plaza which had previously been concealed. The addition of glass handrails to the new perimeter allowed the entire plaza to be viewed safely and enjoyed by the public.