On a recent trip to downtown Fort Worth, Steve and I discovered we were next door to an urban marvel: the Fort Worth water gardens. Built in 1974 by Philip Johnson, this is an urban space that people actually USE, rather than abandon. Filled with interesting spaces, concrete shapes perfect for climbing up and down, and impressive water features, this park would NEVER be built today. Interestingly, scenes from the sci-fi classic movie Logan's Run were filmed here. Being Texas, skyscrapers are nearby.
This vortex of water is at first ominous for its sense of danger. In fact, three people died here in 1994 when a child jumped into the water (then 9 feet deep - now reduced to 2) and two others jumped to their deaths in attempts to save the child. Thankfully the water depth has been revised to protect children and their inattentive parents. There is only one way in and out of the center area, inviting Fort Worth citizens to interact as they pass on the narrow walk, and reinforcing a shared sense of destiny as members of the broader community.
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