A large reflecting pond full of fish sat completely still and silent — the university wanted a water feature that would draw people in, create sound, and become a destination on campus, funded by a donor with a set budget.
Adelphi had an existing reflecting pond filled with fish but completely still and silent. We won a competitive bid with the most creative solution: a nearly 16-foot-wide, 3.5-foot-tall waterfall built along the pond's edge using hand-placed natural boulders. Multiple pumps allow staff to dial the water flow and sound level up or down depending on campus events. The surrounding area was landscaped collaboratively with the university's on-staff horticulturist, who integrated aquatics and perennials into the existing campus planting scheme. The result is a destination — a place to sit, listen, and watch the water — that the campus never had before. We came in under the donor's budget.
