Charleston Travel Forum

What is the architect's name who designed the Pineapple Water Fountain in Charleston?

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Waterfront Park

Another urban area which has recently reclaimed its waterfront is Charleston, South Carolina. In its early history, much of Charleston's waterfront had been devoted wharves and warehouses, and in the later years, surface parking. In the early design phases of Waterfront Park, Stu Dawson, FASLA, envisioned a waterfront for the many pleasure craft that frequent the Intercoastal Waterway in Charleston. Because of opposition from mayor Joe Riley, that concept was replaced with a more egalitarian waterfront - "something for people who couldn't afford boats" (Thompson, 1991: 44).

Early in the design process, the prime designers on the project, Sasaki Associates, along with local landscape architect Ed Pinckney, FASLA, immersed themselves in the cultural icons of historical Charleston. It was their intention to bring the icons of the city into the project.

The master plan of Waterfront Park included several different design icons familiar to the area. The most impressive item in the park is the pineapple fountain. This detail was found throughout the Charleston area on gates, fences, and porticoes. Today, visitors are encouraged to wade in the waters of this feature as well as the park's other fountain. The construction of the park was a rather complex process. Because much of the site of Waterfront Park was unstable fill, the ground had to be compressed for two years. Despite these measures, the fountains, plazas and other heavy elements in the park had to be supported on piles (Thompson, 1991: 47).

To date, this urban reclamation project has been considered successful. It has provided the surrounding community a link to its most important asset, the waterfront. Since its opening in May 1990, the diversity of park patrons has proved exceptional in this historically segregated city, where natives still set clear limits regarding whom they will associate with and where (Thompson, 1991: 47).