I couldn’t go to Wellington and not share a photo of the city’s iconic bucket fountain. Especially as this week’s theme for the Daily Post Photo Challenge is liquid.
The bucket fountain was designed and constructed by architects and planning consultants Burren & Keen in 1969, as part of the creation of a pedestrian-only mall in lower Cuba Street. The fountain was originally derided (amongst other complaints was the regular soaking of said pedestrians as water splashed beyond the buckets onto the pavement), but over time it has become a much-loved and much-photographed landmark.
Zimmerbitch 
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Different. I’m trying to get my head around ‘Lower Cuba Street’. Now how did that name come about?
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The rest of Cuba Street (which is sort of uphill) isn’t pedestrianised, so I guess it’s a useful distinction.
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Well, I meant the CUBA name really, I mean it’s a long way from the island…
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As it happens, I only found out why it’s called Cuba Street yesterday. Apparently it was the name of a ship that brought some of the earliest European settlers. But, as tends to happen, people associate the name with the island and a few businesses have traded on that association to create (a very Kiwi) version of a Caribbean theme.
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Well that’s interesting. Makes sense about the boat. I am intrigued about the Kiwi Caribbean theme. Rum cocktails?
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I wish!
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It looks like it’s next to a playground area, which makes the colors spot on. I can see why people wouldn’t want to get soaked, but also why it’s become iconic.
janet
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It’s like so many public artworks and structures — people hate them at first, but when there is a possibility they will be removed, they suddenly become integral to the landscape. The Eiffel Tower is the classic example!!
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I wouldn’t mind being splashed on hot summer day. The bucket fountain seems very modern considering it has been set up such a long time ago.
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It is VERY popular in summer Peter. 😀
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It looks like a fun piece – even if I probably wouldn’t be thrilled if I accidentally got splashed.
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😀 the pavement is always in the places most prone to splashed, do they are easy to avoid. I have however, noticed that those are the spots buskers tend to occupy so it’s harder to ignore them.
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The designers had a good sense of humour, good one Su.
Leslie
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Apparently, it was made on the cheap and intended to be replaced with a “proper”water feature when they got more money. Fifty years later … 😀
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That sometimes happens….chuckle.
Leslie
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I remember this fountain from a while back. It is very cool, I’ll admit.Amanda
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I can’t resist photographing it whenever I’m in town 😀
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I reckon you’d be hard pressed to pull kids away from that one, Su! Reminds me of those splash mat areas at the local swimming pools where kids come running when the bell rings to say the big bucket is about to tip so they can have a ton of water dumped on them.
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Not just kids 😀
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Zimmerbitch, I don’t know if made it over to my site to see my 3 day challenge quotes. My link for day one is: https://daisymae2017.wordpress.com/2018/05/19/three-day-quote-challenge-day-one/
Link for Day 2 is: https://daisymae2017.wordpress.com/2018/05/20/three-day-quote-challenge-day-2/
Link for Day 3 is: https://daisymae2017.wordpress.com/2018/05/21/3-day-quote-challenge-day-3/
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I remember this bucket fountain from a video link you’ve send me once when it was snowing in NZ . 😊 xxxxx
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Yes; that was such a cool video 😀
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It’s a fun fountain and it was fun to learn about the origin of Cuba Street.
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Thanks 😀
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What were the other complaints? It seems to do just what an outdoor sculpture should do—-define space and motion and draw the eye so we don’t take spaces for granted.
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I think some people weren’t happy because it is so lighthearted. I suspect that NZ in the 1960s was a place that took itself way too seriously 😂
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