# Revson Fountain

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{{Short description|Fountain in Manhattan, New York, U.S.}}
{{Infobox artwork
| title              = Revson Fountain
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| image              = 150919 003 Lincoln Center - Revson Fountain, Koch Theater, Metropolitan Opera (21223352214).jpg
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| caption            = The redesigned fountain in 2015
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| completion_date    = {{start date|1964|04|06|df=y}}<ref name=NYT-640407 /><br/>{{start date|2009|09|30|df=y}}<ref name=Lincoln-Score/>
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| city               = [Manhattan](/source/Manhattan), [New York City](/source/New_York_City)
| coordinates        = {{coord|40.772319|-73.983404|type:landmark_globe:earth_region:US-NY|display=ti}}
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'''Revson Fountain''' is a fountain installed in the [Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts](/source/Lincoln_Center_for_the_Performing_Arts), a complex of buildings in the [Lincoln Square](/source/Lincoln_Square%2C_Manhattan) neighborhood of the [borough](/source/Boroughs_of_New_York_City) of [Manhattan](/source/Manhattan) in New York City. The fountain was dedicated in 1964 and a redesign was completed in 2009.

==History==
{{quotebox |width=20em
|text=We conceived it as a lighted, glowing, moving feature for the plaza and gave it the focal point a fireplace gives a home. |author=[Philip C. Johnson](/source/Philip_C._Johnson), architect |source=quoted in March 7, 1964 ''[New York Times](/source/New_York_Times)'' article.<ref name=NYT-640307/>}}Designed by [Philip Johnson](/source/Philip_Johnson) Associates, the fountain was dedicated on April 6, 1964.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/M232/monuments/1326|title=Lincoln Center Plaza Monuments - Revson Fountain : NYC Parks|website=Nycgovparks.org|accessdate=21 March 2019|archive-date=21 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321192440/https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/M232/monuments/1326|url-status=live}}</ref> It was originally called the '''Lincoln Center fountain''';<ref name=NYT-640407/> its namesake is [Charles Revson](/source/Charles_Revson). The fountain was funded by the [Revlon Foundation](/source/Revlon) in 1962.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/16/arts/lincoln-center-gets-gift-of-25-million.html|title=Lincoln Center Gets Gift of $25 Million|first=Ralph|last=Blumenthal|date=September 16, 1998|accessdate=March 21, 2019|website=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)|archive-date=March 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321192443/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/16/arts/lincoln-center-gets-gift-of-25-million.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[Diller Scofidio + Renfro](/source/Diller_Scofidio_%2B_Renfro), the lead architects of the 2006 renovation of Lincoln Center, made several proposals to redesign the fountain, eventually changing the perimeter bench to a floating granite disk; the fountain itself was rebuilt by [WET Design](/source/WET_Design) from 2007 to 2009.<ref name=NYer-2010>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/01/11/water-music-2 |title=Water Music: The fountain architect who gave water a voice |author=Seabrook, John |date=January 3, 2010 |magazine=[The New Yorker](/source/The_New_Yorker) |accessdate=July 8, 2019 |archive-date=August 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811223632/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/01/11/water-music-2 |url-status=live }}</ref> [Andrew Dolkart](/source/Andrew_Dolkart) objected to the redesign: "It’s the thing that upsets me most of all about what's happened at Lincoln Center. They thought that they needed to spend a lot of money ripping out Philip Johnson's fountain and putting in something new instead of restoring something that worked well."<ref name=NYT-090826/> The rebuilt fountain debuted on September 30, 2009, at a ceremony attended by members of Charles Revson's family.<ref name=Lincoln-Score>{{cite web |url=https://www.lincolncenter.org/article/9-things-to-know-about-the-revson-fountain |title=9 Things to Know about the Revson Fountain |author=Howell, Nicole |date=August 14, 2017 |work=The Score |publisher=Lincoln Center |accessdate=9 July 2019 |archive-date=5 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705115702/http://www.lincolncenter.org/article/9-things-to-know-about-the-revson-fountain |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Design==
{{Lincoln Center map|highlight=9}}As originally designed, the fountain employed 568 jets and 88 lights with a combined illumination power of 26&nbsp;kW. It was {{convert|38|ft}} in diameter and was computer controlled, capable of shooting water {{convert|150|ft}} in the air.<ref name="NYT-640407">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/07/archives/an-electronic-fountain-bows-at-lincoln-center.html |title=An Electronic Fountain Bows at Lincoln Center |date=April 7, 1964 |newspaper=The New York Times |accessdate=July 8, 2019 |archive-date=July 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708141940/https://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/07/archives/an-electronic-fountain-bows-at-lincoln-center.html |url-status=live }}</ref> J. S. Hamel of [Hamel and Lancer](/source/Hamel_and_Lancer) was credited with engineering the fountain. The core of the fountain was an array of 40 jets arranged in a {{convert|6|ft|adj=on}} diameter circle around 16 lights capable of throwing water {{convert|30|ft|abbr=on}} in the air; there were two larger concentric rings with smaller jets outside the core. The total combined flowrate of all the nozzles was {{convert|9000|gal/min|abbr=on}}.<ref name="NYT-640307">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/03/07/archives/lincoln-plaza-fountain-to-dance-to-computer-tune.html |title=Lincoln Plaza Fountain to Dance to Computer Tune |date=March 7, 1964 |newspaper=The New York Times |accessdate=8 July 2019 |archive-date=8 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708141939/https://www.nytimes.com/1964/03/07/archives/lincoln-plaza-fountain-to-dance-to-computer-tune.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The water level of the fountain was elevated from the plaza level in the original design, which used a curb and bench around the perimeter of the retaining pool; during the redesign, the water level was lowered to the level of the plaza and the bench was reduced to a circular rim floating on slim supports. The redesigned fountain contains 353 jets arrayed in three concentric rings and 272 lights with a total illumination power of 27.2&nbsp;kW.<ref name=NYT-090826>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/26/arts/design/26fountain.html |title=The Lincoln Center Fountain Is Being Taught Some New Moves |author=Pogrebin, Robin |date=August 25, 2009 |newspaper=The New York Times |accessdate=July 8, 2019 |archive-date=July 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708142915/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/26/arts/design/26fountain.html |url-status=live }}</ref> After the redesign, the fountain is capable of shooting water as high as {{convert|60|ft}} in the air;<ref name=NYer-2010/> 24 pumps move up to {{convert|16500|gal/min|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Lincoln-Score/>

==In popular media==
[[File:LINCOLN CENTER PLAZA IS ENCLOSED BY TWO THEATERS, AN OPERA HOUSE AND A CONCERT HALL. BOUNDING THE CENTER ARE 62ND AND... - NARA - 551636.jpg|thumb|Original fountain design; photographed by [Suzanne Szasz](/source/Suzanne_Szasz) for [Documerica](/source/Documerica) in August 1973.]]
Revson Fountain has been featured in several notable films set in New York City, including:
* [''The Producers''](/source/The_Producers_(1967_film)) (1967)<ref name=NYer-2010/>
* [''Sweet Charity''](/source/Sweet_Charity_(film)) (1969)<ref name=Lincoln-Score/>
* [''On a Clear Day You Can See Forever''](/source/On_a_Clear_Day_You_Can_See_Forever_(film)) (1970)<ref name=Lincoln-film>{{cite web |url=https://www.lincolncenter.org/article/moviesfilmedatlincolncenter |title=Starring Lincoln Center: 11 Films That Cast the Center for the Performing Arts |author=Bowen, Peter |date=June 28, 2015 |work=The Score |publisher=Lincoln Center |accessdate=9 July 2019 |archive-date=9 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709194740/https://www.lincolncenter.org/article/moviesfilmedatlincolncenter |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [''Godspell''](/source/Godspell_(film)) (1973)<ref name=Lincoln-Score/>
* [''Manhattan''](/source/Manhattan_(1979_film)) (1979)<ref name=NYer-2010/>
* ''[Ghostbusters](/source/Ghostbusters)'' (1984)<ref name=NYer-2010/>
* ''[Moonstruck](/source/Moonstruck)'' (1987)<ref name=Lincoln-Score/>
* [''Sweet Home Alabama''](/source/Sweet_Home_Alabama_(film)) (2002)<ref name=NYer-2010/>

In 2017, the water in Revson Fountain was dyed bright yellow during a prank.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nypost.com/2017/11/04/pranksters-turn-lincoln-center-fountain-water-bright-yellow/ |title=Pranksters turn Lincoln Center fountain water bright yellow |author=Connelly, Eileen AJ |date=November 4, 2017 |newspaper=New York Post |accessdate=9 July 2019 |archive-date=9 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709181722/https://nypost.com/2017/11/04/pranksters-turn-lincoln-center-fountain-water-bright-yellow/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|New York City}}
* {{Commons category-inline|Revson Fountain}}

Category:1964 establishments in New York City
Category:Fountains in New York City
Category:Lincoln Center

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Revson Fountain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revson_Fountain) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revson_Fountain?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.